Georgian hostage released
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, December 25
Vasil Khidasheli, who was detained by Russian soldiers on December 20 at the administrative border with de-facto South Ossetia was released on December 24. A statement concerning the issue was released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The ministry states that it is actively holding negotiations with regard to the illegal imprisonment of another resident of Gori Aleksandre Shiukashvili in order to release him.
In connection, the EU Monitoring Mission to Georgia (EUMM) has been informed through a hotline.
Locals from Tsitelubani have stated that Khidasheli was peacefully grazing cattle and he did not violate the administrative border with the Tskhinvali region.
They reported as well that Khidasheli’s father was also detained this summer at the same location and was released from the Tskhinvali remand center after paying a 2,000 ruble fine.
According to the MIA, the individual was detained near the occupation line, presumably for illegally crossing the border.
