European delegations condemn occupation of Georgia at UN Human Rights Council
Dolidze said it is alarming that no international monitoring missions have access to the breakaway regions. Photo:imedinews.ge.
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Occupation of Georgian territories by Russia was strictly condemned by European countries’ delegations during the general debates held by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 22.
Georgia’s Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organizations Victor Dolidze spoke about close cooperation between the UH High Commissioner’s office and Georgia.
He emphasised the severe human rights situations in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions as well as the illegal detention and subsequent death of Georgian citizen Irakli Kvaratskhelia in Abkhazia.
Dolidze said it is alarming that no international monitoring missions have access to the breakaway regions.
Delegations from the EU, UK, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland confirmed their firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and the integrity of its internationally recognised borders.
The speakers from the UK, Lithuania and Estonia said Irakli Kvaratskhelia’s unexplained death is a result of the Russian occupation and needs to be adequately reacted to by international community.
The UK delegation focused on restricted transportation and ethnic discrimination in the occupied regions while Lithuania’s delegation stated the Russian Federation has established illegal military control there. The latter also emphasized the death of Archil Tatunashvili, Giga Otkhozoria and Irakli Kvaratskhelia caused by the occupation.
The delegations stressed the significance of international monitoring of human rights protection in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.