Gov’t Creates Coordination Council to Support Release of Abducted Doctor
The family of prominent Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was abducted by Russian-controlled occupation forces on November 9, says that the Georgian government has created a coordination council composed of top state officials to take all measures for the release of the doctor from occupied Tskhinvali prison.
His wife Tamila Lapanashvili stated earlier today that Georgian Reconciliation and Civil Equality Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, the Georgian PM’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze, Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsia and the PM’s advisor and spokesperson Irakli Chikovani are present in the council, adding that the Georgian government informed the international community regarding the illegal detention the very first day.
"More activity from international organizations is required for them to put pressure on Russia and de facto authorities,” she emphasized.
"I have never stated that the Georgian government is not doing anything for the release of Vazha. I have never said such words. The government has been involved from the day of the abduction and is working actively for his release. However, we all need a result," she said.
The abducted doctor's wife stated that a so-called trial is scheduled in Gaprindashvili’s case in Tskhinvali this Friday.
Last week occupied Akhalgori's court left a well-known Georgian doctor in illegal pretrial detention.
His family and friends held a peaceful demonstration near the occupation line on December 15, a month after he was sent to two-month pretrial detention “for deliberately crossing the border” of the occupied Tskhinvali region.
The demonstrators gathered near the Republic Square in central Tbilisi and went to the village of Odzisi close to the occupation line.
As the participants of the rally explained, one of the main purposes of the demonstration was for the Ossetian people to hear their voices and demands.
As a symbol of the fact that the profession of a physician has no boundaries, the demonstrators sent a white coat attached to the air balloons behind the barbed wires.
By Ana Dumbadze
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