Illegally Detained Georgian Woman by Russia-controlled Forces Sent to Prison
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, October 3
Georgian citizen, 37-years-old Maia Otinashvili, mother of three little kids, who was illegally detained by the Russia-controlled so-called border guards on September 29 near the occupation line between Georgia and its eastern breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, was sent to two-month pre-trial detention yesterday.
The so-called security council of occupied Tskhinvali claims that the woman illegally crossed the border and also helped other people to do the same.
“Otinashvili has been aiding people from Georgia and from South Ossetia to cross the border illegally and she was taking money for this illegal activity,” the so-called council said and added that the Akhalgori court sent Otinashvili to the pre-trial detention.
Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality called “immoral, alarming and shameful” to the detention of Otinashvili, who has three little kids and who was abducted from her own garden.
She said that her body is in the 24-hour regime to achieve the release of the woman in the shortest time.
Otinashvili’s family understood about the pre-trial detention from the media and said that they were waiting for the woman’s release immediately after the trial in Akhalgori.
The Russia-controlled forces frequently illegally detain Georgian citizens for the so-called illegal crossing of the border and release them after paying fine, which amounts to 30-32 USD.
However, there were several cases when the detention ended fatally.
Russia occupied 20 percent of Georgian territories during the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria recognize the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent republics.
The rest of the international community is unanimous in that the regions are occupied by Russia.
