Tamaz Iluridze Released by Occupying Authorities

The detained Georgian citizen Tamaz Iluridze, who was detained by Russian border police along the occupation line after herding his animals with a friend, was released yesterday, one day after the incident.

The resident of the village of Plavismani in the Gori district was surprised by authorities and detained, while his friend was able to escape from the site to inform Georgian police. The arrest sparked protests and demonstrations by the Georgian public and government. Anti-occupation activists had already envisaged blocking cars with Russian license plates motoring along Georgian military roads. This measure is now unnecessary as Iluridze was released.

Reports state that the authorities who detained Iluridze were FSB officers deployed in the area to either control the occupied territory or instigate provocations against the Georgian government.

Latest numbers show a total of 178 arrests of Georgian citizens by FSB officers last year, all of them based on “illegal border crossings." According to the State Security Service of Georgia, 126 persons were detained in the Tskhinvali region and 52 persons in Abkhazia.

By Benjamin Music

Photo: Caucasian Knot