Two Georgians released after five-day captivity in de-facto Tskhinvali
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Monday, August 31
Two Georgian citizens detained at the so-called administrative border with South Ossetia have been released after a five-day arrest.
According to them they were released after a trial in Tskhinvali, South Ossetia.
The Russian forces abducted the people on August 24 from Bershueti village in Gori region in central Georgia.
The men were accused of illegally crossing the so-called border.
The two victims have been identified as Muraz Javakhishvili, 75, and Ivane Sekhniashvili, 41, and were both residents of Bershueti village.
Other village residents claimed Javakhishvili and Sekhniashvili were unlawfully detained for allegedly crossing the border illegally, however they stressed the two men "had
not stepped within the occupant controlled area”, reported Interpressnews.
After the release the people repeated the same. They stressed that despite the fact they were right they did not oppose as Russians were armed and had dogs with them.
Locals have stated that the people were released only after they paid a fine that allegedly amounted to 2,000 rubles.
In recent months, the number of Georgian citizens detained by Russian occupant forces near the ABL at Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) has increased.
According to past protocol, the occupant forces contact the families of the detained victims and demand a fine. Once this is paid, the victims are released.
