Publication N21 / Review Period: April 1-30, 2023 / Author: Elene Mindiashvili

 

Monitoring of the Situation at the Occupation Line 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 publication will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, representatives of media and international governmental or non-governmental organizations,  and other people who are interested in the mentioned topic.

*As of April 30, four Georgian citizens remain in Tskhinvali prison: Mamuka Chkhikvadze, Kakhaber Natadze, three people detained in Gugutiaantkari, but their identities is not disseminated publicly, Chito Akhalkatsi and Gocha Mamagulashvili.

Chkhikvadze has been in illegal detention since January 12 last year and is serving a sentence of 5 years and 6 months imposed by the so-called court for violating Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Natadze was arrested by the occupation forces on December 10, 2022 and has been in illegal detention for the past 2 years and 4 months.

Akhalkatsi and Mamagulashvili were detained by the occupation forces on March 30, 2023 while herding cattle near the occupation line section of the village of Dvani (Kareli municipality) 

112th IPRM Meeting

On April 27, 2023, the 112th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in the village of Ergneti (Gori municipality) under the co-facilitation of the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Dimitrios Karabalis, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Viorel Moşanu.

The parties discussed a Chvrinisi incident and the prospects of releasing Georgian citizens who have been illegally imprisoned in Tskhinvali prison. The issue of operating unmanned aerial vehicles in the airspace of the de facto republic from the territory controlled by the central government of Georgia was also discussed. The situation and positions of the parties regarding the Georgian police checkpoint in the village of Chorchana remained unchanged. The so-called delegation of Tskhinvali left open the question of extending the use of crossing checkpoints. Both sides agreed to continue technical work in preparation for the expected irrigation season in accordance with last year’s successful practice.

More details about the 112th IPRM meeting, see here.

Citizens Detained and Released  

In April, the Kareli municipality section of the occupation line became particularly dangerous in terms of illegal detentions.

In April, the occupation regime has especially prepared for the start of the herding season and removed barbed wire along the respective section of the occupation line on April 14-16,  which resulted in livestock flow to the occupied territory. All below listed Georgian citizens are shepherds and each of them was detained or attempted to be detained while herding cattle. It is interesting that the detainees were tried according to the standard procedure under Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, they were found guilty and “deported from the Republic;” however, unlike many previous cases, an “administrative fine was imposed before the deportation.” It’s particularly noteworthy that Article 322 provides for only one punitive measure - imprisonment.

Arrest and Release of Dimitri Mamagulashvili

On April 17, near the village of Dvani (Kareli municipality), the occupation forces illegally detained a resident of the same village, Dimitri Mamagulashvili. On April 20, the “Znauri District Court” found him guilty of violating the “state border” and “expelled” him from the Tskhinvali region after inposing an administrative fine. He was handed over to the Central Government of Georgia on April 21, four days after the arrest.

Dimitri Mamagulashvili. Source:  ssg.gov.ge

Illegal Detention Attempt in the Village of Chvrinisi

On April 21, the so-called border guards embushed near the occupation line in the village of Chvrinisi (Kareli municipality) on the territory controlled by the Central Government of Georgia and attacked a husband and a wife, residents of Chvrinisi, who were herding cattle. The soldiers hit the man in the head with a buttstock. Currentlt, he is in the Kareli hospital. According to Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement - Power is in Unity, who was personally present at the scene of the attack, the so-called border guards invaded 170 meters of the territory controlled by the central government of Georgia. The “border guards” fled when a Georgian police brigade appeared and failed to arrest the citizens.

Arrest of Chito Akhalkatsi and Gocha Mamagulashvili

On April 30, two Georgian citizens living in the village of Dvani, Chito Akhalkatsi and Gocha Mamagulashvili, were detained while herding cattle at a Dvani section of the occupation line.  They are still under illegal detention in Tskhinvali prison.

“Borderization” and the Developments Along the Occupation Line

Illegal Constructions in the Village of Dvani 

In April, activities of the so-called border guards intensified in the vicinity of the occupation line in Dvani. They removed barbed wire on the mentioned section of the occupation line. Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement - Power is in Unity, published this information on his Facebook page. According to Katsarava, the military installed metal constructions, which, according to him, should be a special parking lot for the OKAPI radar reconnaissance vehicle, and the metal poles arranged in a row -  movement detector-like mechanism. During the same period, surveillance cameras were also installed in the mentioned area.

Illegal Constructions in Dvani. Source: Davit Katsarava's Facebook page.

Important Visits 

Visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia to Odzisi

A delegation of the Republic of North Macedonia headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, visited the village of Odzisi (Dusheti municipality). The delegation was accompanied by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Viorel Moşanu, who briefed the guests about the security and humanitarian situation on the ground.

Visit of the Delegation of the Republic of North Macedonia. Source:  eumm.eu

Parliamentary Majority Visits the Village of Perevi

On April 27, members of the parliamentary majority of Georgia guested the village of Perevi (Sachkhere municipality). Together with representatives of the Security Service of Georgia, they also visited the Perevi-Kardzmani section of the occupation line.

According to a statement of Irakli Beraia, the Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee at the Parliament, which he made on the spot, the occupation is the biggest threat to the country and a great challenge to the rules-based international order. The front line of European security passes on the occupation line of Georgia and the continuous development of Georgia, as well as its integration into the European Union and NATO is the only right way to end the occupation.

Visit of the Parliamentary Majority to the Perevi-Kardzmani section of the Occupation Line. Source: parliament.ge