Georgian officials, Public Defender condemn killing of Georgian citizen, illegal detention of another by occupation forces
Russian-controlled occupation forces on Monday killed one Georgian citizen and illegally detained another in central Georgia’s Gori municipality. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Georgian officials and the Public Defender’s Office on Monday reacted to the killing of Georgian citizen Tamaz Ginturi by the Russian-controlled occupation forces in central Georgia, and illegal detention of the country’s national Levan Dotiashvili, in an incident earlier during the day, and called for “immediate punishment” of offenders and the release of the detainee.
Extending his condolences to the family of Ginturi, who was killed following firearm shots during an attempt of his illegal arrest by the occupation forces near the village of Kirbali of the central Georgian municipality of Gori, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili called on the de facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region to “immediately release” Dotiashvili and meet the conditions of the 2008 ceasefire agreement between Russia and Georgia, which requires the former to withdraw its troops from the occupied regions.
I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family of the Georgian citizen killed by Russian occupation forces during his illegal detention. I call on the occupation forces to immediately release another Georgian citizen who was illegally detained and fulfill the…
— Ilia Darchiashvili (@iliadarch) November 6, 2023
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the party, claimed the authorities were “doing their utmost” to ensure the punishment of the offenders and the release of the illegally detained citizen.
They also highlighted the “gravest legacy” of the occupation following the 2008 war and condemned the “treacherous policy” of the previous United National Movement in its handling of the conflict.
Ombudsman calls on the authorities of Georgia, as well as international human rights and monitoring organizations, to make maximum efforts to ensure effective investigation of the killing of Georgian Citizen, and to hold the Russian Federation responsible. https://t.co/J3i1bD6GuY pic.twitter.com/Uz5vv3Z4IA
— Ombudsman of Georgia (@Ombudsman_Geo) November 6, 2023
The de facto Tskhinvali authorities have claimed Ginturi and Dotiashvili had “refused to obey” the so-called border guards adjacent to the administrative line separating the region from the rest of Georgia, and were “under the influence of alcohol”.
In its statement, the Georgian Public Defender’s Office has called on the Georgian Government, international human rights and monitoring organisations to make “maximum efforts to ensure effective investigation” of the incident and punish those involved in it.
It further noted the latest incident was the consequence of the ”impunity” for the offenders in the killings of four Georgian citizens - Davit Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria, Archil Tatunashvili and Irakli Kvaratskhelia - by occupation forces over the previous years, and stressed Russia carried responsibility in all cases.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Tuesday said the killing of a Georgian citizen by Russian occupying forces on Monday had proved that the conflict was “not frozen” and “our citizens are constantly in danger on the Russian occupation line”.
Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on Tuesday condemned the killing of a Georgian citizen by Russian occupying forces near a village adjacent to central Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Irakli Antadze, the Deputy Head of the Analytical Department of the Georgian State Security Service, on Monday said the country’s authorities had demanded “immediate release” of a Georgian citizen illegally detained by occupation forces on Monday, and punishment of individuals responsible for the killing of another national of the country in the same incident, in a meeting with de facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Monday said she was “profoundly outraged” by the death of a citizen of the country following an attempt of their illegal arrest by Russian-controlled occupation forces near a village adjacent to the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region in central Georgia.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday said Russia's “century-old” policy of kidnapping and killing Georgian citizens in the country’s territory had “no end”, following the killing of a Georgian national by Russian occupying forces near a village adjacent to central Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on Monday.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said “sooner or later” Georgia would celebrate the de-occupation of the country’s territories.
Foreign government officials, dignitaries of international organisations and diplomats on Tuesday condemned the killing of a Georgian citizen and the detention of another one by Russian occupying forces near a village adjacent to central Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
A Georgian citizen Levan Dotiashvili illegally detained by the Russian-controlled occupation forces in central Georgia was released on Thursday, following an incident which saw the killing of the country’s national Tamaz Ginturi during an attempt of illegal arrest by occupation forces on Monday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said his party would not back “any initiative” proposed by Parliamentary opposition groups about the country’s foreign policy and occupation of its territories by Russia.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said “all international mechanisms” would be used to ensure the protection of the rights of two Georgian fighters, who were captured by Russian military forces during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A Georgian citizen who was illegally detained on Monday by the Russian-controlled occupation forces near central Georgia’s Gori municipality has been released, the State Security Service of Georgia said on Monday.