Publication N10 / Review Period: May 1-31, 2022 / 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

Sentence of Mamuka Chkhikvadze

On May 12, a Tskhinvali de facto court tried Mamuka Chkhikvadze who illegally detained near the village of Nikozi, Gori municipality, under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Articles 322 (Illegal Crossing of the State Border) and 229.1 (Smuggling of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances). He was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison, the State Security Service (SSS) reports.

On January 12, 2022, the occupation forces illegally detained Mamuka Chkhikvadze. He was transferred to the Tskhinvali prison from the territory controlled by the central government of Georgia. Chkhikvadze's case is the first precedent in the existence of the occupation regime, when the family of the detainee appealed the illegal detention to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against the Russian Federation, however the Russian Federation did not claim responsibility for Chkhikvadze's case.

“Borderization” and Ongoing Activities Along the Occupation Line

Renewed “Border” Fences in Zardiantkari

On May 25, another fact of “borderization” occurred in the village of Zardiantkari, Gori municipality. The village was divided into two parts after the August 2008 war, one part is controlled by the Georgian side and the other - by the occupation regime. A Russian crossing point has been operating in Zardiantkari since 2012, and the process of installing border facilities along a 700-meter section of the occupation line on the Ossetian side was started in May, this year.

Important Visits

No significant high-level visits were made to the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region in May.