One Georgian citizen has been detained, while another has been sent to illegal pretrial detention by the Russian-controlled de facto government of Tskhinvali, the Georgian State Security Service reports.
Ramaz Begeluri, 36, was illegally detained by occupation forces last month for ‘illegally crossing the border’ and was sentenced to two-month pretrial detention in Tskhinvali yesterday.
Begeluri has already been detained twice by occupation forces and was released after paying a fine, his family said.
Another Georgian citizen was detained near the Roki tunnel yesterday, on Tbilisi-controlled territory, said the agency.
The Georgian State Security Service says that Russia is responsible for all human rights violations in Georgia’s two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
The co-chairs of Geneva International Discussions (on Georgia’s conflict issues) have already been informed of the illegalities. Illegal detentions by the occupation forces further complicates the situation on the ground. The illegal detentions aim to threaten the local population and spark tension,” said the State Security Service.
The international community has condemned Russia’s redoubled efforts of ‘borderisation’ and illegal detention in Georgia amid pandemic. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze, who was shot and illegally detained by Russian-controlled occupation forces in the summer of 2020, was also sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison by the de facto Supreme Court of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region on February 5.
The illegal detention of Georgian citizens by Russian occupation forces near the occupation line is a common issue. Detainees are mostly released after their families pay a fine.
However, there have been several cases of Georgian citizens dying while in detention.
The standard fine is 2,000 Russian rubles ($27 USD).
Russia recognised the Georgian regions of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia as independent states in the wake of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.