US citizen illegally detained by occupation forces in Georgia released after 11 days
The US citizen was illegally detained by the Russian-controlled occupation forces on August 26. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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US citizen Jackson Poll Cramer, who was illegally detained by the Russian-controlled occupation forces in the Java district of Tskhinvali region on August 26, was released yesterday.
Cramer, who was visiting Georgia as a tourist, accidentally crossed into the occupied territory and was taken to Tskhinvali prison for ‘illegally crossing the border.’
The de facto authorities have tried to use him for propaganda and took him to Tskhinvali museum and a cemetery ‘where the victims of Georgian aggression are buried.’
The Georgian State Security Service says that they ‘instantly reacted’ to the illegal detention and informed the European Union Monitoring Mission and co-chairs of the Geneva International discussions.
The agency said that ‘we have used all levers to secure the release of Cramer.’
The kidnapping and illegal detention of Georgian citizens for ‘illegally crossing the border’ is a common practice of the Russian-controlled occupation forces.
Most of the detainees are released after paying a fine. However, there have been several cases when Georgian citizens were murdered or died in obscure circumstances while in Tskhinvali prison.
European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell calls on the de facto authorities in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali and the Russian Federation to allow for the reopening of all crossing points’ at the occupation line.
Georgian civic activist Tamar Mearakishvili, who lives in Georgia’s Russian-controlled Akhalgori district, has released the photos of Akhalgori, with no people walking on the streets and lights rarely coming from windows.Mearakishvili, who is politically persecuted by de facto authorities of Tskhinvali, says that many people have left the district since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, when Russia expanded its control on Akhalgori.
Civic activist Tamar Mearakishvili, who lives in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district, says that up to 10 people in the area have died due to delayed medical aid or other reasons related to the illegal closure of crossing points between breakaway Tskhinvali and the rest of Georgia 131 days ago.
The Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) Erik Hoeg said the recent decision of de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) officials to close the so-called border with the rest of Georgia is “negatively affecting local communities” on both sides of the occupation line.
A resident of the mountainous village of Midelaani in Russian-occupied Akhalgori municipality has been detained for 48 hours and his house was searched by the State Security Committee (KGB) of Russian occupied South Ossetia (Tskhinvali Region) on October 8, the Democracy Research Institute (DRI) reports.