Publication N1 / Review Period: June 1- August 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 provide information about current situations and ongoing important events near the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region to the readers. The review will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the mentioned topic.
Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meetings
During the period of June-August 100th and 101st IPRM meetings were held in village Ergneti.
100th Meeting
IPRM meeting 100th in swath was held on June 15. Meeting covered the issues of strengthening coordinated engagement among stakeholders, re-opening of the crossing points along the occupation line, inevitable adoption of united measures to counter negative effects of COVID-19 Pandemic, but especially scrutinized affair was the immediate release of illegally detained Georgian citizens. According to the Deputy Head of the Analytical Department of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) Irakli Antadze, the subject of the release of Zaza Gakheladze and possible visit arrangement to the Tskhinvali prison for his family was articulated by facilitators. The meeting was co-facilitated by EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) Head Marek Szczygieł and Special Representative of OSCE CiO for the South Caucasus Annika Söder.
101st Meeting
IPRM meeting 100th in swath was held on July 13. Issues of „extended closure“ of crossing points, provision of Irrigation system to the villages located along the occupation line and illegal borderisation facts were the chiefly prioritized affairs for the meeting and voiced respectively by the facilitators. Also, according to SSG, release of illegally detained Georgian citizens Zaza Gakheladze and Genadi Bestaevi was firmly requested by the Georgian side.
101st Meeting. Source: Web page of State Security Service
Evaluation by Tskhinvali
Ossetian side leveled accusations against the Georgian party at both 100th and 101st IPRM Meetings. In the first case, the allegation concerned arbitrary, unlawful violation of the so-called border regime by Georgian police forces. Representative of Ossetian Side Igor Kochiev accused Georgian police forces of „Provocative activities“ along the „borderline“. In regards to the second case, Igor Kochiev alleged the Georgian party of violating „South Ossetian Air-space“ and announced that since the previous IPRM meeting a helicopter and a light aircraft have flown into the Tskhinvali region from Georgia proper. The last accusation may include the usage of drone by Georgian civic activist Davit Katsarava, however the fact that mentioned activity took place within Georgian territory and definitely didn’t penetrate into the airspace of occupied Tskhinvali region is significant.
Who was kidnapped and from where
In the interim of June-August, representatives of de-facto armed forces of Tskhinvali Region illegally detained 2 Georgian citizens, residents of village Akhalubani under the accusation of unlawful so-called border crossing. The fact of detention transpired on the Georgian controlled territory near the occupation line during shepherding the livestock. Fortunately, both persons were released after several hours.
Released Citizens
Release of Zaza Gakheladze
On 14th of July, Georgian National Zaza Gakheladze - Illegally detained by de-facto authority of the Tskhinvali region was pardoned by the so called president of South Ossetia - Anatoly Bibilov. Zaza Gakheladze is a resident of Village Qvemo Chala, Kaspi Municipality. The fact of his detention occurred on July 11 in 2020 near his village, at the Skhvilo fortress. Gakheladze was shot by representatives of occupation forces and detained. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 12 years and 6 months by the de-facto supreme court of the occupied Tskhinvali Region.
Release of Zaza Gakheladze. Source: Web page of Government of Georgia
Gakheladze was illegally imprisoned for a year and 3 days. His overall release befell right after Georgian Catholicos Patriarch Ilia II sent a letter to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill requesting the release of Zaza Gakheladze. According to the information spread in Ossetian media sources, Tskhinvali requested the release of North Ossetian resident Vadim Gobozov in return. Gobozov has been temporarily detained since September 15 of 2020 in Kazbegi Municipality. He was transferred to Ossetian party on July 13th, a day before Zaza Gakheladze’s release.
Release of Lasha Khetereli
On 17th of July, another Georgian national - refugee from Liakhvi valley, Lasha Khetereli was released by the de-facto authority, who was „handed over“ to Georgian side after the term of his „sentence“ by Tskhinvali court on July 30 of 2020 for „illegal“ crossing of occupation line expired. Khetereli was also detained arbitrarily several times previously with the same accusation - illegal crossing of the so-called border.
Imprisonment of Genadi Bestaevi
Currently, In Tskhinvali prison, still remains Georgian national Genadi Bestaevi - detained on November 21 of 2019 who is sentenced 3 years of imprisonment. His allegation concerns a so-called border crossing as well.
„Borderization“ and Activities near the Occupation Line
Installation of barbed wires in village Bershueti
According to the member of Anti-occupation movement „Strength is in Unity“ Davit Katsarava, he discovered a new fence while he was patrolling along the occupation line on August 16. Fence hadn't been installed yet on June 13 when he previously examined the same location, so the installation may have been implemented during the June-August time frame. Mentioned fact is denied by Press department of State Security Service of Georgia (SSG).
New Fence. Source: TV Monitoring
New Bulwarks near Koda
According to the member of Anti-occupation movement „Strength is in Unity“ Davit Katsarava, in the surroundings of village Koda, near Tsagvli-Chorchana forest, first precedent of building a station for heavy military technic occured in July 10 since which, the number of tank bulwarks has reached 5.
New Bulwarks. Source: TV Monitoring
Chasing
Pursuant to local residents six Russian militias chased to Georgian residents of village Sobisi with military vehicle on the Georgian controlled territory. Residents were hunting while Russian militaries assaulted and tried to detain them, however fortunately in vain.
Important Visits
Visit of the U.S. Congressional Delegation to the villages Zemo Nikozi and Ergneti
On June 3, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Rob Portman together with the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission, Ambassador Marek Szczygieł visited the villages Zemo Nikozi and Ergneti where they examined the occupation line. During the visit, the congressmen got acquainted with the situation on the ground and obtained information from the observers about the situation near the occupation line. Davit Zalkaliani , Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, assesses this visit of the congressmen as another confirmation of the bipartisan support of the United States.
Congressmen's visit. Source: eumm.eu
Visit of the President of Lithuania in Khurvaleti
On June 10, the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda visited the occupation line scratched with barbed wires in the village Khurvaleti , where he was acquainted with the current situation on the ground by Tea Akhvlediani, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Marek Szczygieł, Head of the European Monitoring Mission, and EUMM observers. With the support of Lithuania,in Khurvaleti, the most powerful solar power plant in Georgia has been installed, which will provide 140 IDP families, including a kindergarten, with a certain amount of free electricity.
Visit of the President of Lithuania. Source: eumm.eu
Visit of General Secretary of OSCE in Tsitsagaantkari
On June 14, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid began a three-day visit to Georgia by examining the Tskhinvali occupation line . She visited the village Tsitsagaantkari , where she attended the opening of the new water system together with the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Tea Akhvlediani and the US and Italian Ambassadors to Georgia Kelly Degnan and Enrico Valvo. According to the Minister's Office, the project was implemented by Gori Municipality with the support of the OSCE and USAID „Zrda activity“ project and 144 families are provided with drinking water.
Visit of the General Secretary of OSCE . Source: smr.gov.ge
Visit of Foreign Ministers of Austria, Lithuania and Romania in village Odzisi
On June 26, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Austria, Lithuania and Romania - Alexander Schallenberg, Gabrielius Landsbergis and Bogdan Aurescu - visited the occupation line in the Odzisi village accompanied by the European Union Monitoring Mission, where Ambassador Marek Szczygieł shared his vision with the ministers on the ground and briefed on the latest developments in the field of security and humanitarian spheres.
Visit of the Ministers. Source: eumm.eu