Public Defender’s Office: Russian occupation regime continuing illegal practice of arresting Georgian citizens

The Georgian Public Defender's Office on Monday said Russian occupation forces had illegally detained five citizens near the occupied villages of Dirbi, Artsevi and Otrevi in central Georgia this month, noting the developments “clearly show the occupation regime continues the illegal practice” of arresting Georgian nationals for “illegal crossing of the so-called border”.

The body emphasised the actions carried out by the occupation regime “grossly violate the rights and freedoms” of the Georgian population living in and adjacent to the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, adding the circumstances “once again confirm the necessity” of allowing access to the territories for international human rights monitoring missions.

The statement also added the European Court of Human Rights had unanimously confirmed “multiple violations” committed by Russian-controlled forces in the occupied regions in its April 9 decision on a case on the human rights toll of a hardening of occupation lines following the 2008 war between the two countries.

In its decision, the Court said the case showed effects of ‘borderisation’ - a process in place since 2009 that has prevented people from freely crossing administrative boundary lines between Georgian-controlled territory and the occupied regions.

A separate judgement of the ECHR on January 21, 2021 said Russia had violated several articles of the European Convention on Human rights during the conflict and carried out ethnic cleansing of Georgians. 

The Office noted the Public Defendert’s hope that the Georgian authorities, with the help of international organisations, would “spare no effort” to ensure the release of illegally detained Georgian citizens “as soon as possible”.