Occupants Detain Georgian Man for ‘Illegally Crossing the Border’
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, Decemer 25
Russia-controlled so-called border guards have detained a Georgian man Otar Samniashvili near Khurvaleti village of eastern Georgia for “illegally crossing the border” between Georgian and its eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
The man, who was detained on Sunday, was released on the next day, locals told the media.
Georgian citizens are frequently detained by occupants for “illegally crossing the border” and most of them are released after paying a fine.
The fine amounted to about 30 USD. However, Tskhinvali has increased it to 300USD.
The de facto government of Tskhinvali has also called upon the central Georgian government to make clear signs “for borders” to avoid the detention of its citizens.
Two Georgian regions Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are now occupied by Russia.
Since the Russia-Georgia 2008, the regions have been recognized as independent countries by only Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.
92 Georgian citizens have been illegally detained for crossing the so-called border of occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region this year – the same figure for the breakaway region of Abkhazia amounted to 25, the Georgian State Security Service told the Georgian media Agenda.ge.
The agency also reported that the Russian creeping occupation of Georgian territory started in 2011 and the process continued this year as well.
“The creeping occupation has been in progress since 2011 and it has been revealed through the erection of illegal barbed-wire fences, digging so-called anti-fire canals and the erection of other artificial barriers,” Agenda.ge has cited the State Security Service.
