Three drown in Enguri river trying to leave occupied Gali, Georgian authorities hold Russian Federation responsible

By Khatia Bzhalava

Thursday, April 8

“The Russian Federation holds full responsibility for this tragedy, as well as for violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms in the occupied territories,” stated the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

According to David Zalkaliani, Georgia will immediately inform the international community of the incident and will raise this issue in all international formats.

Georgian rescuers have found the bodies of four people in the Enguri river, near the villages of Shamgona, and Orsantia, in Zugdidi Municipality. Reportedly, four Georgian citizens living in the occupied Gali district tried to cross from the Russian-occupied region into territory controlled by the central government of Georgia through the Enguri River “to avoid unlawful detentions established by the Russian occupation regime.” All four of them died while crossing the river.

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) has called the occupation regime responsible for this tragedy. According to the SSG, this tragic case is another outcome of Russia’s illegal occupation and is a demonstration of the inhumane and criminal essence of accompanying processes of occupation. “The mentioned fact represents a result of restrictions unlawfully imposed by the occupation regime over free movement and damaging practice of unlawful detentions,” stated SSG.

The SSG states that over the years, unlawful regulations and restrictions on free movement have significantly complicated the lives of the locals, which has resulted in the deaths of many of them. SSG has stated that with the participation of international partners, an issue of the occupation regime’s responsibility will be brought up in terms of unlawful restrictions over free movement and unlawful detentions. “The issue will be discussed in the most acute form possible and within the scope of any existing formats,” states SSG. The EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM), as well as co-chairs of Geneva International Discussions, have been informed of the tragic case.

Law enforcers have opened an investigation into the case under Articles 143 and 115 of the Georgian Criminal Code implying unlawful deprivation of liberty and incitement to suicide.

President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has blamed the occupation regime for the incident and remarked that the restrictions on free movement imposed by the occupation regime are unacceptable as they grossly violate and disregard fundamental human rights. “It is alarming that the lives of innocent and peaceful people are being sacrificed as they try to overcome the difficulties caused by the severe humanitarian crisis in occupied Abkhazia,” the president added.

Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani discussed the tragic fact with EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar. As the Georgian FM underscored at the meeting, this tragedy once again shows the real face of the Russian occupation.

Abkhaz authorities closed the Enguri crossing point, which connects Russia-occupied Abkhazia with the rest of Georgia, in March 2020, as reported, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The residents of the occupied region are allowed to cross onto the Georgia-controlled territory only if they have a special ‘pass’ obtained (costs ?45). When coming to Georgia, residents of Abkhazia have to go into five-day quarantine. Due to these reasons, locals often choose to cross the border through the Enguri River instead of using the bridge.