Dr. Gaprindashvili Freed

Doctor Gaprindashvili was illegally detained on November 9 in the region of Akhalgori. On December 20, the Court of the ‘Leningori region’ charged the Georgian doctor with illegally crossing the so-called border and sentenced him to one year and nine months in prison. To everyone’s surprise, the doctor was then released on December 28.

Sputnik-Ossetia reported that Dr. Gaprindashvili was pardoned by the de-facto President of occupied South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov.

The information about the doctor’s release was first reported by the State Security Service. As the news spread throughout Georgian society, Irakli Antadze, Deputy Director of the Analytical Department of the State Security Service, further assured the public that Dr. Gaprindashvili’s health was in good condition. Around noon on a sunny Saturday, the famous Doctor was already in Shida Kartli Police Department.

His family members were waiting outside, shocked and overwhelmed by the good news: Doctor Gaprindashvili would be celebrating the New Year at home.

The members of the reunited happy family shared their excitement and gratitude with the public. Vazha Gaprindashvili himself found it hard to put his emotions into words:

“This is totally unexpected. I never thought I’d be released today. Just yesterday I was told that on the 31st [of December] an appeal hearing would be taking place, about which, to be honest, I had my doubts,” he said the day of his release. “I want to thank everyone worried about me, be it the government, the parliament, the police or whoever. Special thanks to my beautiful wife and brilliant children, my dear friends and everyone who stood by me, thank you very much. From what I can see, we should be this united always, serving our country of Georgia.”

Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili held his first press briefing in Tbilisi on December 28, together with his wife Tamila Lapanashvili.

He began by once again thanking everyone for their support, noting that “all Georgia contributed” to his release.

He said that the reason for his detention and sentencing in occupied Tskhinvali was not crossing the line of occupation but rather his insistence on the fact that he had not left the Georgian territory.

“From the first day of my detention, I kept telling the Russian border guards as well as representatives of Tskhinvali bodies that I had not left the territory of Georgia and that I was currently on Russian occupied Georgian land,” he told journalists.

Gaprindashvili also thanked the Ossetian people, noting that when refused to take meals prepared by the Tskhinvali prison administration, he was sent food by locals. “I would like thank the Ossetian population and to apologise to those who were inconvenienced because of me,” he noted.

His wife also talked to journalists, emphasizing that she appreciated everyone’s contribution to the doctor’s release.

“I would like to thank our state and state agencies, security service, Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our international partners, our friends abroad, our civil society, all of you. Also, our notable singers, scientists, writers, etc. Many people were involved in the process of Vazha’s release within the borders of Georgia or abroad,” she stressed, adding that the Gaprindashvili family will discuss further details with media in the future.

Doctor Gaprindashvili’s release brought as much joy as his detention had brought Georgian and international society sorrow and regret. Everyone from the Georgian President to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia publicly responded to the freeing of the Georgian doctor.

“We have received great news for the eve of the New Year and we are very excited! Congratulations to everyone on Vazha Gaprindashvili’s release, congratulations to his family and friends and all of Georgia! The hope for the future has become stronger!” President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili wrote on her social media page.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Davit Zalkaliani, highlighted the work of diplomacy and the international community in his public announcement.

"I would like to once again thank the international community, our partner countries, and international organizations, who have shown unprecedented attention and strength to get the illegally detained physician released.

“We hope that through such tireless efforts, diplomacy and support of the international community, we will peacefully solve the humanitarian problems facing the conflict-affected population," said Zalkaliani said.

Not a politician or a diplomat but an important figure in Georgian Society, Giorgi Kekelidze, the Director of the National Library and the coordinator of the recently-established team created to communicate to the public on Dr. Gaprindashvili’s case, shared his positive emotions the doctor’s release, writing on his Facebook page that the ‘car honking protest’ that was planned for December 29, has changed form.

“My friends, tomorrow’s freedom car honking protest has been replaced by great happiness: on December 29, at 7 PM there will be a big box waiting for you in the National Library. You will be able to place there the ‘thank you letters’ addressed to the man who honored us. We’ll be delivering them on New Year’s Eve. You can repeat the gesture in every city! Doctor Vazha is free!”

International society was also quick to respond to the release of the heroic doctor.

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger welcomed the fact on his Twitter page with the words: “Welcome the release of Dr. Gaprindashvili. Further detentions should be avoided and freedom of movement guaranteed for all people, at all times.”

“I welcome and applaud the news of the release of Georgian doctor Vazha #Gaprindashvili,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics, wrote on his official Twitter page.

The US Embassy to Georgia also published a statement on the release of the illegally-detained Georgian doctor.

“We welcome the news that Dr. Vazha Gaprindashvili has been released by the de facto authorities in South Ossetia. We join all Georgians and the international community in welcoming him home to spend the holidays with his family. We again call on the de facto authorities to open crossing points along the administrative boundary line and to allow freedom of movement for the local population and humanitarian access. The United States maintains its unwavering commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,“ read the US Embassy’s post.

Doctor Gaprindashvili spent 49 days in prison in Tskhinvali. The occupational forces charged him for ‘illegally crossing the “border,”’ ignoring the fact that he was merely helping a patient in need. It is a relief he will be home to celebrate the New Year with his family. It’s a relief not to have to write ‘abducted’ before his name anymore.

By Nini Dakhundaridze