The FINANCIAL — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemns the actions of the Russian occupation regime on wounding and illegally detaining of the citizen of Georgia Zaza Gakheladze on the occupation line with the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia near the village of Kvemo Chala. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry slammed “the provocative comments of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine released a statement reaffirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. Ukraine demands that the Russian Federation immediately cease its destabilizing actions against the Georgian civilian population, provide unimpeded access to Georgia’s occupied territories for the international human rights and monitoring organizations as well as ensure the return of the detained and wounded Georgian citizen.
“Such provocative actions of the Russian occupation regime are the blatant violation of the Ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008 and aimed at destabilizing the security situation in the region. By realizing the practices of detentions, abductions, torture and killings, Russia continues systematically and unprecedentedly to violate the norms of international humanitarian law,” is written in Ukraine’s statement.
The First Vice-Speaker of the Parliament, Gia Volski, said: “Ukraine backs Georgia just as Georgia supports Ukraine.” He also noted that world’s position on Russia regarding ongoing developments is important. “Russia may not fulfil what not only Ukraine but the whole world is calling for instantly, but it is necessary to express the position and putting pressure on a daily bases. Thanks to Ukraine for that,” said Gia Volski, as reported by Georgian Public Broadcasting.
U.S. Embassy Tbilisi is also alarmed and deeply troubled by reports that Russian-led security forces shot, wounded, and detained a Georgian citizen on July 11 near the village of Kvemo Chala, along the administrative boundary line of Russian-occupied South Ossetia.
“We condemn this shooting and detention — another escalation in a series of provocative actions taken by Russian-led forces in recent weeks. Such a dangerous and unwarranted incident would not have occurred if Russia had fulfilled its commitments under the 2008 ceasefire agreement, including withdrawing its forces to pre-conflict positions and allowing unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. We call for the immediate release of the Georgian detained in this incident”, is written in U.S. Embassy statement.
In a statement released on July 15, the Russian Foreign Ministry “noted with concern” that “the illegal border crossings Russian, Abkhazian and [Tskhinvali] South Ossetian borders from the Georgian side” recently became more frequent. Moscow also, slammed “the provocative comments of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, which, in the manner that has become traditional for the Americans, without understanding the essence of what is happening, fence off their Georgian protégés and put all the blame on Moscow and Tskhinvali,” local media civil.ge reported.
Furthermore, Members of the European Parliament deplore the constant violations by Russia, which is currently exercising effective control over the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, of the fundamental rights of the people living in these regions, who are being deprived of both their liberties and rights. MEPs express their concern that the continuous “illegal borderisation” has particularly detrimental effects in the context of the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, since it deprives people of their right to free movement, access to necessary medical services and is endangering their lives.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia categorically demands the immediate handover of the wounded and illegally detained citizen of Georgia to the Georgian side and calls upon the Russian Federation to ensure unrestricted access of international humanitarian and human rights organizations to the occupied territories, and start unconditional implementation of the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement.
U.S Embassy in Georgia demands release of illegally detained Georgian
