Georgian Released from Breakaway Tskhinvali Prison after Paying Ransom
After nine days in detention, the de-facto Government of the breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has released Lasha Glurjidze, 21, who was imprisoned in the region.
Glurjidze was released after paying a 2000 Ruble ($26) fine for “crossing the border” which is the common practise.
The young man was arrested on January 4th with his friend Saba Sekhniashvili by so-called Russian border guards while on the way to a church near the village of Bershueti, which borders the de-facto republic.
Sekhniashvili, who escaped the so-called border guards, stated about eight gunman appeared when they were about to enter trinity church.
According to Sekhniashvili, his friend was taken to Tskhinvali. Glurjidze’s mother stated that her son’s phone went off for a few minutes after he was detained.
A representative of the Gori governor stated that the territory around the Trinity Church is controlled by the central government and that the young people did not cross the occupational line, or as he stated, the border.