Georgian Foreign Ministry speaks of ‘blatant violations of human rights’ in its report on occupied territories
Russia occupies 20 percent of Georgian territories. Photo: Foreign Ministry press office.
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Georgian Foreign Ministry has released its 2019 Compilation Report on human rights violations in the Russia-occupied territories of Georgia, stating that last year ‘was marked by grave and blatant violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including but not limited to violations of the right to life’ in the Russian-controlled Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
The report provided findings and examples of torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, violations of the right to freedom of movement, the right to return, the right to health, the right to property and the right to education in one’s native language.
Flagrant violations of #HumanRights continues in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of #Georgia on a daily basis. Read the “2019 Compilation Report on the human rights violations in the #Russia-occupied territories of Georgia” https://t.co/L09b0Fi8ZJ pic.twitter.com/CcK386WLVn
— Nino Shekriladze (@NinoShekriladze) February 20, 2020
In the report Georgia appeals to the international community and international organisations:
- To call on Russia to reverse its recognition of so-called independence of Georgian regions Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
- To call on Russia to end the occupation of the Georgian territories.
- To call on Russia to implement the EU-mediated Ceasefire Agreement of 12 August 2008 and withdraw its illegally stationed troops from the occupied territories of Georgia.
- To call on Russia to stop violations of human rights in the occupied territories of Georgia.
- To call on Russia as the occupying power to ensure the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the removal of barbed and razor wires and other artificial obstacles and banners along the occupation line.
- To call on Russia as the occupying power to allow immediate and unimpeded access to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and international and regional human rights mechanisms to Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia.
- To call on Russia as the occupying power to allow immediate and unimpeded access to the European Union Monitoring Mission to both occupied regions of Georgia.
See the full report here.
Georgian citizen Gela Rostobaia was detained by occupying forces for “illegally crossing” the so-called border in the village of Shamgona, near Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia. Rostobaia, 39, was detained while fishing in the Enguri River yesterday, his father said.
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-controlled occupation forces have abducted 96-year-old Gora Garibashvili while he was trying to reach a cemetery near the village of Tsunevi, close to the occupation line with breakaway Tskhinvali region, the Georgian Public Broadcaster reports. The man has been illegally detained for “crossing the border” by de facto Tskhinvali authorities several times over the past several years, with the previous illegal detention taking place last year.
Russian-controlled occupation forces have abducted three Georgian citizens in the Kaspi municipality of Georgia and transported them to Tskhinvali prison for “illegally crossing the border.” Locals say that the occupation forces initially detained four individuals. However, they released 15-year-old Avtandil Gamkhitashvili shortly after detaining him.