Georgian Doctor's Illegal Imprisonment Raised at 50th GID

The illegal imprisonment and sentencing of Georgian Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) was the focal concern raised at the 50th Geneva International Discussions (GID) on December 10 and 11.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry stated that the co-chairs from European Union, United Nations and OSCE, as well as representatives from the United States “unanimously demanded Gaprindashvili’s immediate release”.

The Georgian deputation also voiced the earnest security and human rights conditions in occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia as well as their adjacent Tbilisi-controlled villages. These situations include “frequent provocations” from Russia and its marionette regimes, especially along the village of Chorchana.

The Discussion Co-chairs and partakers from Georgia and the US also “harshly criticized” the detention of European Union Monitoring mission (EUMM) patrol on the Georgian government-controlled area in late October.

Participants from Tbilisi also emphasized that the recent death of Margo Martiashvili and deteriorating health conditions of Tamar Gigauri, who were both locals of Akhalgori district, are the results of constrained freedom of movement and access to healthcare along the occupation line. 

While examining the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from both occupied regions and moreover the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons to their original homes, delegates of Russia, Tskhinvali and Abkhazia, again left the negotiations.

The next round of Geneva International Discussions, which were launched in October 2008 to address the consequences of the Russia-Georgia war, will be held on March 31-April 1, 2020

By B.Alexishvili