MFA releases first report on human rights situation in occupied regions

By Tatia Megeneishvili

Wednesday, June 3

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Tamar Beruchashvili

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry speaks about multiple violations with regard to Georgia’s occupied regions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Georgia released its first quarterly report, covering the period of January-March 2015, which aimed at assessing the human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia. The report was prepared in English and is based on open and public sources.

The MFA prepared the report in collaboration with various government agencies.

According to the report, there are cases of human rights violations in the occupied territories, which are reflected in torture and bad-treatment, abduction and illegal detention. Restricted movement of people in the occupied territories, mass violation of property rights and so on. The situation is further aggravated by the installation of barbed wire along the occupation line.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Davit Kereselidze said that the MFA plans to continue the preparation of such reports on a quarterly basis. According to him, the goal of the MFA is to provide regular information on the human rights situation in the occupied territories to the international community, governments or international organizations. Kereselidze stated that the report will be released four times per year.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Tamar Beruchashvili said that after the report's presentation she hopes that the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe will have possibility to enter the occupied territories.

“The report describes particular facts, the disorder, which takes place daily in the occupied territories. Our task is to regularly provide detailed information to our international partners to mobilize and ensure their maximum attention and support in this field. As former UN Commissioner for Human Rights has noted, this territories may be compared to black hole, since this is one of the most difficult permeable areas in the world in 21st century. In few months we are waiting for commissioners visit and hope that he will be able to negotiate and try to enter the occupied territories smoothly,” stated Beruchashvili.

According to her, the first such step was the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which for the first time explicitly called on Russia to ensure access to these areas for international observers unconditionally.