State Security Service highlights threats
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, April 13
Georgia’s State Security Service stresses in its recently released annual report that the increasing Russian military contingent and militarization in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions constitute an “existential threat” for Georgia.
“Russia’s attempts to annexe the occupied territories, discrimination against ethnic Georgians living there, restriction of free movement and access to education, the illegal detentions of the locals, the so-called borderization process, abductions, robberies, murders, attacks on the population, violations of airspace and the law on Georgia’s occupied territories, all pose a serious threat to the security of the country,” the report reads.
The document highlighted that the State Security Service continuously monitors the situation, assess the developments, takes relevant measures, and actively participates in the elaboration and implementation of anti-annexation policies.
The report also said that 327 Georgian citizens have been illegally detained by Russian-controlled guards near the two Russian occupation lines in Georgia over the last year.
Of these, 193 persons were detained by guards patrolling the occupation line separating de facto Abkhazia from the rest of Georgia; the remaining 134 people were detained by guards patrolling the occupation line separating breakaway Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) from the rest of Georgia.
On another note, the State Security Service said they have identified a certain number of people who could allegedly be linked with foreign countries’ intelligence services.
They said it was mainly because of the increased inflow of people in Georgia and stressed the agency was actively working in this direction to prevent any possible crimes.
