Monthly Review

Monitoring of the Situation at the Occupation Line in the Tskhinvali Region

2022 / 01 / 11

Publication N5 / Review Period: December 1-31, 2021 / Author: Elene Mindiashvili

Monitoring of the Situation at the Occupation Line in the Tskhinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. The purpose of the publication is to review the situation and ongoing important developments near the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region. The review will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the mentioned topic.

Detained Citizens

Detention of Malkhaz Janelidze

Malkhaz Janelidze, the resident of Telavi, Georgia, was illegally detained by the occupation forces on the 1st of December near the village of the occupied Java district Vaneli. Pursuant to the statement reported by the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG), a hotline on the occurrence was activated immediately as well as the information transferred to the co-chairs of the Geneva discussions. He was released and handed over the Georgian side on December 4th. According to Janelidze, he crossed two so-called border indicator banners to enter into the Russian federation in order to receive a proper treatment and job. He is deported from the Russian federation, that is why he chose the following way of entrance. Pursuant to Janelidze he was physically assaulted by the “border guards” during the detainment process.

Detention of Valeri Kaniashvili and Malkhaz Natadze

On the 10th of December this year, two Georgian nationals were detained illegally in the vicinity of the village Tsinagara, Akhalgori Municipality.

Detention of Mamuka Chkhikvadze

On the 12th of December, SSG announced the detention of Georgian national Mamuka Chkhikvadze in the vicinity of the village Nikozi, gori municipality.

Mamuka Chkhikvadze’s photo. Source:  radiotavisupleba.ge

Murder of Archil Tatunashvili ultimately proved the merciless attitude of the occupation regime toawards Georgian warriors, therefore, the reasonable doubt exists on Chkhikvadze’s merciless treatmint in the Tskhinvali prison. He is ex-warrior in the Shavnabada battalion and participant of various international missions. Despite the refusal of the fact of  cruel treatment towards Chkhikvadze by Igor Kochiev, deputy representative of the de facto president of South Ossetia on the regulation of post conflict issues, Chkhikvadze’s household insist the “International Committee of the Red Cross” (ICRC) to receive the right to visit Tskhinvali and appoint georgian prisoner . The fact of unavailability of the appointment with Chkhikvadze intensifies the doubt about his torture and ill treatement.

On the day of his detention, he visited the memorial of Shindisi heroes and then his father’s grave in the graveyard of the village  Zemo Nikozi. Right after that was he detained by the occupation forces under the accusation of illegal so-called border crossing.

According to Igor Kochiev, Chkhikvadze was attempting demonstratively to cross the “border” and had rationally analyzed his entire actions. However, Pursuant to the information voiced in “Radio Tavisupleba”, Chkhikvadze would not have crossed the occupation line as the 40th day after his mother's death had been approaching, so he had had planned the return to Batumi in handful of days (He lives in Batumi with his sister and periodically visits Bret's farm just to take care of  his father's grave)

The appeal on Chkhikvadze’s case has already been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The case is being processed and information is requested from the Russian Federation on the detainee's health and legal status, which is the first precedent in the kidnapping history.

Mamuka Chkhikvadze has already been sentenced to pre-trial detention, with the official accusation of the so-called illegal border crossing and marijuana smuggling. Pursuant to the assessment of Davit Katsarava, based on previous precedents, artificial involvement of marijuana in the case constitutes a ground for his extended period of detention . In the wake of the official allegations, the State Security Committee of the Tskhinvali Region indirectly issued a " warning " that war crimes commited by the individuals involved in aggression against South Ossetia and / or in hostilities in Donetsk, Lugansk and Syria as members of nationalist and terrorist organizations, will be punished , despite of When they are  committed. “Warning” is noted in the article devoted to detentions of Kakhaber Natadze and Vladimer Kaniashvili, however neither of them have ever had a connection with military affairs. Mentioned announcement coincides with the detention of ex-military personnel and participant of international missions - Mamuka Chkhikvadze, that causes another rational suspicion that his detention might be accompanied with the punishment layer.

Detentions of Zaza Megrelishvili and Tamaz Gogichaishvili

Two residents of the Village Avlevi, Kareli Municipality - Zaza Megrelishvili and Tamaz Gogichaishvili were detained on the 15th of December by the occupation forces under the accusation of illegal “border” crossing and smuggling. Detainees were sentenced to 2 months of pre-trial detention. Smuggling allegation is not new throughout the detention chronicle, however significant about the Megrelishvili-Gogichaishvili case remains that information about their detention had only spread on December 27, 2 weeks later from  their detention via both Georgian and Ossetian information sources.

Detention of 4 Georgian nationals

On the December 24, residents of the village Adzvi, Gori municipality: Giorgi Demurishvili, Giorgi Markozashvili, Ramin Mchedlishvili and Avtandil Tomashvili were illegally detained during entering in Saint George’s church remaining in the occupied village Adzvistavi adging the village Adzvi. Release of all the 4 citizens was managed the same day about which the information was reported by the SSG

Detention of Nika Bejitashvili and Kviria Elizbarashvili

The SSG announced the information about the detention of 2 Georgian nationals on December 29 from the territory of village Gremiskhevi, Dusheti municipality. The leader of Anti-Occupation Movement “Strength is in Unity”- Davit Katsarava specifies their names: Nika Bejitashvili and Kviria Elizbarashvili. The fact of detention occured in the “fear zone” of the Georgian controlled territory which is proved by detainees themselves. 

Released Citizens

Release of Gela Gochoshvili

The resident of Kaspi municipality - Gela gochoshvili, detained on August 14, under the accusation of the illegal “border crossing” about which the information was spreaded late in September is ultimately released. Despite his trial by the Ossetian side, he was handed over to the Georgian side on December 19.

“Borderization” and Ongoing Activities Along the Occupation Line

Installation of the Motion activated surveillance camera near the house of DAta and VAlia Vanishvili house

According to the leader of the anti-occupation movement “Strength is in Unity” - Davit Kathsarava, Occupation forces installed the motion activated surveillance camera in the point of the barbed wire from where the georgians used to hand over food and necessary products to Valia Vanishvili. Katsarava learned the mentioned fact on December 25, during his visit with  Valia Vanishvili.

Installed motion activated surveillance camera. Source: Davit Katsarava’s facebook page

Deforestation in the Village Goraka

On December 24, the anti-occupation movement “Strength is in Unity” found a trace of mass structural deforestation in the Village of Goraka, Kaspi Municipality, that leads down towards the village of Kvemo Chala through the middle of the forest and divides it into two. Deforestation with such a structure serves a similar purpose in the area of ​​mountainous terrain, that drawing anti-fire tilths on the plain terrain.

Trenches and construction of a military base on the top of Gremiskhevi

Infrastructural development of a military base in the vicinity of the village of Gremiskhevi, Dusheti Municipality, has become especially significant at the end of December, about which he spreads the information gained during his patrolling on December 19. Gremiskhevi is one of those villages that turned out to be endangered as a result of the new map approved by Anatoly Bibilov. The situation is magnified by appearing Trench-type tilths reflecting the arrangement of a new map.

Russian Military Infrastructure at Vil. Gremiskhevi. Source: Davit Katsarava`s facebook page

Fencing of Chorchana-Jria section

On December 13, the leader of anti-occupation movement “Strength is in Unity” spread the information about ongoing fencing works on the Georgian controlled territory, particularly on the  Chorchana-Jria section. According to him, the first wave of “borderization” took place at the end of October this year and the process continued about a month later, on December 6-11.

Significant Visits

In November, no significant high-level visits were made to the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region.

State Projects in Villages Near the Occupation Line

On the meeting of the Interim Government Commission on the necessities of the population living along the occupation line affected by the conflict on December 23, two prime decisions were made: population living living in the villages adjacent to the occupation line will receive financial assistance to provide heating during the winter and student funding will continue also in 2021-2022.