Publication N25 / Review Period: September 1 – October 31, 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.

IPRM 114th Meeting

On September 12, the 114th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti (Gori municipality) under the co-facilitation of the EUMM Head, Dimitrios Karabalis, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Viorel Moşanu. More information about the meeting, please see here.  

Citizens Detained and Released

As of October 31, a total of six Gerogian citizens remain in illegal detention in the Tskhinvali prison.

Detention Near Odzisi

On September 15, the occupation forces illegally detained a Georgian citizen in the vicinity of the village of Odzisi (Dusheti municipality). The identity of the detainee and his legal status remain unknown until now, however, according to Radio Liberty, he is from the village of Agara (Kareli municipality) and was moving in the direction of the occupied Akhalgori while the arrest.

Detentions in the Vicinity of Ghromi and Balaani

On October 18, the occupation forces arrested two Georgian citizens in the occupied parts of Georgia: in the occupied village of Ghromi (Tskhinvali district) which is adjacent to the village of Mejvriskhevi of the Gori municipality, and the village of Balaani, located in the north of the occupied Akhalgori municipality. Additional information about the circumstances of the illegal detentions was not disseminated in open sources, however, according to the State Security Service (SSS) of Georgia, the hotline mechanism managed by the European Union was immediately activated.

Release of Ivane Iluridze

On October 27, Ivane Iluridze, a Georgian citizen, was released from about three months of illegal imprisonment and handed over to the Georgian side. Iluridze, who came from Tbilisi, was arrested by the occupation forces on the occupation line, adjacent to the village of Akhmaji (occupied Akhalgori municipality) on June 7, 2023.

Detention and Release of Mevlud Lagoshvili

On October 31, at 10:00 PM, the occupation forces arrested Mevlud Lagoshvili, a Georgian citizen, near the village of Gvirgvina (occupied Tigvi municipality) while herding cattle. (Note: He was released on the third day, November 2).

Detention Near Sinaguri

On October 31, a Georgian citizen was illegally detained near the occupied village of Sinaguri (Sachkhere municipality). The identity of the citizen and the circumstances of the arrest are still unknown, however, according to the SSS, the hotline mechanism managed by the European Union was immediately activated.

Release of Archil Basanidze

On October 15, Archil Basanidze, who was illegally detained near the occupied Tskhinvali city in May this year, while moving to the occupied part of Georgia to find his friend, Levan Petriashvili, who was arrested the day before, was released on October 15. Petriashvili is still in illegal detention.

Release of Archil Basanidze. Source: SSS Facebook Page

The interactive map of illegal detentions prepared by the Rondel Foundation, please see here.

“Borderization” and Activities Along the Occupation Line

In September-October, no information was spread in open sources about moving the occupation line on the territory controlled by the central government of Georgia, however, after the IPRM regular 115th meeting (held on November 1), Irakli Antadze, the Deputy Director of the Information and Analytical Department of the SSS, speaking to journalists noted that after the 114th meeting, there were three “borderization” cases. Since he did not specify exactly on which sections of the occupation line the “borderization” facts were observed or what type of activity he meant, below we present information obtained in open sources about various types of illegal activities taking place near the occupation line.

New Shooting Range Near the Occupied Eredvi

Near the occupied village of Eredvi (Erdevi municipality), the occupation forces set up a new shooting range. Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement - Power is in Unity, published confirming photo material on his Facebook page.

Fortified Checkpoints in Sakorintlo

Based on the information disseminated by Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement - Power is in Unity, the occupation forces fortified checkpoints located near the village of Sakorintlo (Kaspi municipality) and surrounded them with ditches. During the last months, such actions were observed in the occupied villages of Tamarasheni, Ghogheti, Jariasheni and Akhmaji.

New Construction Near the Avnevi Military Base

As Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement - Power is in Unity, disseminated information, construction is underway near the military base located in the village of Avnevi (occupied Tighvi municipality), adjacent to the village of Dvani (Kareli municipality). According to one of the versions, the occupation forces are building a church there, although there is also a version of the base expansion for military purposes.

Movement of the Occupation Forces in the Village of Mleta

As Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement - Power is in Unity, reports on his Facebook page and publishes the confirming footage, the intensity of movement of the occupation forces in the vicinity of the Lomisa Church of St. George, in the village of Mleta (Dusheti municipality), has increased recently. According to him, the situation is alarming to the extent that the mentioned territory is under a particularly high risk of occupation. In December 2021, the so-called committee of demarcation and delimitation of the de facto parliament of the occupied Tskhinvali presented a new map of de facto South Ossetia, which later was approved by the so-called President. As per the map, the entire territory of the village of Mleta, including the church, falls under the rule of the de facto administration of South Ossetia, under the control of the occupation regime.

Important Visits

Josep Borrell in Khurvaleti

During his official visit to Georgia, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, visited an occupation line section in the village of Khurvaleti (Gori municipality). On the ground, observers of the European Union Monitoring Mission provided him with the latest information about the security situation along the occupation administrative border. Mr. Borrell personally learned about the negative impact of “borderization” features (including fences, barbed wire and watchtowers) on the freedom of movement of the local population.

Joseph Borrell in Khurvaleti. Source: eumm.eu

Archbishop of Canterbury in Khurvaleti

The EUMM Head, Dimitrios Karabalis, hosted the Archbishop of Canterbury in the village of Khurvaleti (Gori municipality). Mr. Karabalis and observers of the mission informed the Archbishop about the security and humanitarian situation in the region. The conversation touched on the destructive effect of the continuous “borderization” process and regular practice of violating human rights and universal freedoms.

Austrian Delegation in Odzisi

An Austrian delegation, together with representatives of the EU Monitoring Mission, visited an occupation line section in the village of Odzisi. The observers informed them about the situation of movement restrictions and human rights violations in this regard. They also spoke about the consequences of the “borderization” process which has equally damaging consequences for the population living on both sides of the occupation line.

Delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in Odzisi

A Japanese delegation, which is on the regular 12th Political Consultations in Georgia, under the leadership of the Assistant Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ambassador Ikegami Masaki, visited an occupation line section in the village of Odzisi. The Head of the Mtskheta Field Office, Ewa Suwara, briefed the dlegation about the monitoring activities carried out by the EUMM, as well as the security situation on the ground.