Georgian citizen released from South Ossetian prison dies of stroke

Gennady Bestaev dies of stroke

Gennady Bestaev, a citizen of Georgia, who was released from South Ossetian prison in November last year, has died. This information was confirmed by the State Security Service of Georgia.

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Gennady Bestaev was detained by Russian military forces in 2019 and de facto authorities of South Ossetia accused him of “border violations” and drug smuggling.

Tskhinvali court sentenced Bestaev to three years in prison, but de facto president of South Ossetia Anatoly Biblov pardoned him amid rapid deterioration of his health and a stroke that he had suffered.

The Georgian Security Service reported that Bested suffered a stroke in prison on November 15, 2021, and his condition worsened immediately after.

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From the conflict zone, there are frequent reports of Russian military detaining Georgian citizens on charges of “crossing the state border”. Citizens, who are arrested on the same charges, are usually fined and released soon. The movement inside the so-called “border” is strictly controlled by the Russian military.

People are often detained where no signs indicate border. Since the end of the August 2008 war, both Russian military and representatives of the European Union are patrolling the territories, the later on the side that is currently controlled by Tbilisi.