Public Defender Levan Ioseliani Addresses Issues in Russian-Occupied Territories
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, August 9, 2024
On the 16th anniversary of the August War, Georgia's Public Defender, Levan Ioseliani, issued a statement addressing the situation of residents in occupied territories and internally displaced persons.
"The illegal violations of the right to life are particularly alarming," Ioseliani said. He cited the recent murder of Tamaz Ginturi by the occupation regime in 2023 as a recent example. He also noted that those responsible for earlier killings-Davit Basharuli in 2014, Giga Otkhozoria in 2016, Archil Tatunashvili in 2018, and Irakli Kvaratskhelia in 2019-have not been held accountable, with responsibility resting on the Russian Federation.
Ioseliani highlighted the ongoing challenge of accessing education in the native Georgian language in the occupied regions, which has led to a decline in student numbers each year. Many parents are forced to relocate to government-controlled areas to ensure their children can continue their education in Georgian.
"The occupation regime still practices the illegal arrest and imprisonment of people for 'illegal' border crossings in both Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. This creates difficulties for locals on both sides of the occupation line," Ioseliani said.
He also pointed out that property rights violations due to border changes continue to be a daily challenge for those living near the occupation line.
