Another Georgian citizen illegally detained in South Ossetia

Georgian citizen detained in South Ossetia

According to Irakli Antadze, Deputy Director of the Analytical Department of the State Security Service, on January 16 a Georgian citizen was illegally detained by the Russian occupation regime. Currently seven citizens of Georgia are under illegal arrest.

According to Antadze, about seventy cases of illegal border crossing along the occupation line were discovered last year.

“Our position is to remove any artificial restrictions or extend the opening hours of checkpoints. As for the detainees, last night the EU hotline shared information about the illegal detention of a Georgian citizen. We were given only a first and last name, but we will clarify the information. At the moment, seven of our compatriots are in illegal detention, and we once again demand their unconditional release,” Irakli Antadze said.

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Movement near the so-called “state border” of South Ossetia is strictly controlled by the Russian military, which detains people even in places where there is no barbed wire or border signage.

In addition to the Russian military, since the end of the war in August 2008 an EU monitoring mission has been present in the conflict zone, patrolling the side controlled by Tbilisi.

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Georgian citizen detained in South Ossetia