International Court issued arrest warrants for three former South Ossetian officials
International Criminal Court orders arrest of South Ossetian officials
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague put on the wanted list former high-ranking South Ossetian officials who are also Russian citizens.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia has already responded to this decision, stating that arrest warrants will be sent to all relevant states to ensure that these individuals are detained and transferred to the International Criminal Court.
The Pre-Trial Chamber of the Hague Tribunal granted the motion of March 10 2022, for the arrest of war criminals.
Accordingly, the following were put on the wanted list:
● Mikhail Mindzaev, Russian citizen, born on September 28, 1955 in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia; Former high-ranking police officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, from 2005 to October 31, 2008 – Minister of Internal Affairs of South Ossetia – accused of war crimes committed on August 8-27, 2008, namely, illegal detention, torture and inhuman treatment, insulting personal dignity, hostage-taking and illegal transfer of civilians.
● Hamlet Guchmazov, a citizen of Russia and possibly Georgia, was born on July 9, 1976 in the Tskhinvali region; head of a prison cell during the 2008 war. Accused of war crimes committed from 8 to 27 August 2008 – illegal detention, torture and ill-treatment, insulting personal dignity, hostage-taking and illegal displacement of civilians.
● David Sanakoev, born December 14, 1976 in Tskhinvali; served as ombudsman during the August 2008 war. Charged with war crimes, including hostage-taking and illegal displacement of civilians.
● David Sanakoev, born December 14, 1976 in Tskhinvali; served as ombudsman during the August 2008 war. Charged with war crimes, including hostage-taking and illegal transfer of civilians.
European Court began hearings on the complaints of Georgian citizens against Russia over the 2008 war
More than 350 people who suffered from the August 2008 war filed complaints
The prosecutor’s office also stated that the arrest warrants issued by the Hague Tribunal dealt with the unlawful imprisonment of ethnic Georgians during the August 2008 war, torture and ill-treatment, hostage-taking and subsequent illegal transfer. All these actions are the gravest war crimes.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the court emphasizes that these crimes were committed under the occupation carried out by the Russian Federation. According to the department, the investigation by the prosecutor’s office also revealed the role in the commission of the alleged crimes of Major General, Deputy Commander of the Russian Airborne Forces Vyacheslav Borisov, who is no longer alive.
“The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, together with other departments, is making an important contribution to the process of collecting this evidence and developing a state position”, the statement says.
On January 21, 2021, the European Court of Human Rights announced the final decision in the case of Georgia v. Russia.
A court in Strasbourg found Russia responsible for violating six articles of the European Convention on Human Rights against Georgian citizens, including violations of the right to life, torture, arson and destruction of private property.
