Georgian Woman Detained by Occupants Remain in Custody, Red Cross Allowed in Prison
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, October 5
Georgian citizen Maia Otinashvili, who was abducted by the Russia-controlled so-called border guards on September 29 from the Tbilisi administered Khurvaleti village, remains in custody in the Tskhinvali prison of the occupied territory, even though the central Georgian government has informed the international community and involved the Red Cross and the European Union Monitoring Mission in the process.
The representatives of the Red Cross were the only who have seen the woman in prison, in the wake of the statements of Otinashvili’s family that the woman was likely to be beaten on the Russian base in Tskhinvali.
The Red Cross did not tell the media whether this information was correct, as their guidelines allow them to share such details with only the family and respective state bodies.
The family stated after their meeting with the Red Cross representatives that Otinashvili had no injuries.
Otinashvili has three little kids and as locals say she was abducted from her garden and this happened for the second time.
Locals say that the Russia-controlled people receive bonuses for the abduction of Georgian citizens.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that the government is working 24 hours a day to achieve the release of the 37-year-old Georgian citizen.
“Unfortunately, the occupation regime is proceeding with its aggressive policy and undermining fundamental human rights.
“We are working with our partners to establish the mechanism to prevent such issues and in most cases, such mechanisms work,” Bakhtadze said and tasked Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani to meet with the representatives of diplomatic corps and foreign organizations regarding the case.
The meeting took place late on Wednesday.
The Russia-controlled forces abduct Georgian citizens quite often and release them after they pay a fine which amounts to 30-32 USD.
However, there were several fatal cases, when the illegal detention led to the murder of Georgian citizens, like Archil Tatunashvili this year.
