CoE deputy ministers discuss Conflict in Georgia report

The 25th Consolidated Report of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the Conflict in Georgia was discussed on Wednesday at the meeting of the deputy ministers of the Council of Europe, the Georgian foreign office said. 

The report described the “difficult” security, human rights and humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia and along the occupation line between October 2021 and March 2022.

The report mentioned the illegal process of 'borderisation', the restriction of free movement and other serious human rights violations in the regions occupied by Russia. 

The report emphasised the closure of the so-called “crossing points” had had a negative impact, especially on the “socio-economic” situation of the residents of central Georgia's Akhalgori district, near the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region. It also mentioned facts of illegal detentions by occupation forces, including the illegal arrest of Georgian citizen Irakli Bebua, and noted the Georgian Government had raised the issue of his immediate release.

The report also emphasised the importance of administering justice in the cases of citizens Archil Tatunashvili, Giga Otkhozoria, Davit Basharuli, Irakli Kvaratskhelia and Inal Jabiev over the recent years, and noted “no progress” had been made in this regard.

In addition, the report focused on the Georgian Government's peace initiatives.

The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Lasha Darsalia spoke on the illegal militarisation, steps towards de facto annexation, illegal strengthening of the occupation line, illegal detentions and other serious human rights violations in the occupied regions as along the administrative line, as well as ethnic discrimination against Georgians by de facto authorities, including a ban on education in Georgian language.

Darsalia also made comments on Russia's disregard for the principles of international law and the challenges facing the European security Architecture, condemning Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine.