Time in Tbilisi: March 29, 2024 17:10
The occupying forces in the two Russia-controlled Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) have detained 327 Georgian citizens for “illegally crossing the border” between 2017 and 2019, the Georgian State Security Service says.
The agency reports that 242 of 327 were detained for “illegally crossing the border” between Georgia and its eastern occupied Tskhinvali region.
16 individuals have been illegally detained in 2019,” the State Security Service says.
The remaining 85 individuals have been detained for “illegally crossing” the so-called border between Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia.
Four detentions have taken place in 2019,” the agency says.
Most of the individuals were released after paying a fine.
Only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have recognised the regions as independent states since the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, with the influence of Russia.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.
Occupying forces have detained two Georgian citizens for “illegally crossing the border” earlier today near the occupation line with the breakaway Abkhazia region, the Georgian State Security Service has confirmed.
92 Georgian citizens have been illegally detained for crossing the so-called border of occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region this year – the same figure for the breakaway region of Abkhazia amounted to 25, the Georgian State Security Service told Agenda.ge.
A statement made by representative of de-facto Tskhinvali Yegor Kochiev for ‘South Ossetian’ news agency Res clearly shows that the Russian-occupied region plans to continue the borderisation process to “simplify the lives of people” in the unrecognised region.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that the government will not tolerate neither old nor new barbed wire fences on its historic land, responding to the erection of new barbed wire fences by occupants at the village of Atotsi near the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
The occupying forces have illegally detained Georgian citizen Guladi Khubua at the occupation line with the breakaway Abkhazia region for “illegally crossing the border” late yesterday, his family says.
The State Security Service of Georgia reports that a young Georgian man, Irakli Kvaratskhelia, has reportedly committed suicide in the Gali district, in Georgia's Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia. Kvaratskhelia, born in 1990, had been allegedly detained by de-facto authorities.
Georgian citizen Givi Beruashvili, who was illegally detained by occupying forces for “illegally crossing” the so-called border on March 17 has been released, the Georgian State Security Service says. Beruashvili, 21, was visiting his grandparents there, who live 500 meters from the occupation line.
The Georgian State Security Service writes in its 2018 report that Russian forces tried to use the two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) to conduct clandestine, illegal operations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with de facto Foreign Minister Daur Kove of Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia to discuss security issues in the South Caucasus, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports.
Occupying forces have released Georgian citizen Gocha Pidiuri from Tskhinvali who was arrested on April 20 for “illegally crossing the border”
The Russian occupation forces detained 24-year-old Giorgi Zangurashvili for ‘border’ violation charges yesterday. The so-called security committee of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region reports Zangurashvili was arrested in the vicinity of the village of Artsevi where Russian military base is located.
Georgian police detained two citizens of Iran, one citizen of Marocco and one citizen of Algeria for illegally crossing the state border today.
A 28-year-old Georgian citizen, Zakaria Butkhuzi, has been allegedly detained for “illegally crossing the border” near the Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
A 28-year-old Georgian citizen, Zakaria Butkhuzi, who was detained by occupation forces earlier this week, has been released, the Georgian State Security Service reports.Butkhuzi was illegally detained by occupation forces near Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region “for illegally crossing the border.”
Three Georgian citizens who were abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces in the Kaspi municipality of Georgia on December 7, have been released today, the Georgian State Security Service reports.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says the illegal arrest of Georgian citizens by Russian occupation forces in the occupied territories is a matter of concern. Degnan noted that Russia must fulfil the Ceasefire Agreement of August 12, 2008 and stop illegal arrests.
Seven illegally arrested Georgian citizens remain in de facto Tskhinvali prison, the Democracy Research Institute NGO reports. The DRI reports that the arrest of Georgian citizens on charges of ‘illegal border crossing’ without any legal basis has become more frequent as a consequence of active ‘borderisation’. The Georgian authorities do not have a clear public position on the issue.
Russian occupation forces have illegally arrested four Georgian citizens near the village of Adzvi in Gori municipality. The State Security Service (SSS) of Georgia reported that the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) have been informed about the case.