Occupation forces illegally detain Georgian citizen near occupied Abkhazia

Russian-controlled occupation forces illegally arrested a Georgian citizen in the country’s occupied north-western Abkhazia region’s Gali district, Georgia’s state security service said on Saturday. 

The state body said it had activated the hotline operated for information exchange on developments along the occupation line, and informed the European Union monitoring mission and co-chairs of the Geneva international discussions about the incident.

The service also noted “all existing” mechanisms had been activated to ensure the release of illegally detained citizen, who, as per the information shared through the hotline, has been allegedly accused of the purchase and possession of narcotic drugs.

The extremely harmful practice of illegal detentions by the occupation forces complicates the daily life of the local population and significantly damages the security environment”, the service said.

The SSS stressed the occupation forces have been responsible for the illegal detentions.