DRI: Russian military bases negatively affects human rights in the occupied territories
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, September 23
Russia's military bases in occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region have negative impact on human rights, according to a report by the Institute for Democracy Research (DRI) entitled "Russian military bases in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region / South Ossetia and their impact on human rights."
"The deployment of Russian FSB units along the entire perimeter line serves to control the possibility of direct contact between Georgians and Abkhazians / Georgians and Ossetians in both direct and figurative terms," the organization concluded.
The report reads that with the alliance and strategic partnership agreements signed with both occupied regions, Russia has further strengthened its positions.
"We are talking about strengthening the military bases, which, according to the 1999 Istanbul Summit of the OSCE, should be withdrawn from the territory of Georgia. Contrary to this commitment, the Russian side strengthened its existing bases in the occupied territories and began building new ones. The same fate befell the 6point agreement reached after the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, which included a ceasefire and a return to pre-war status. Instead of performing it, the so-called Borderization is actively continuing," the report reads.
The report highlights the killings of ethnic Georgians in territories controlled by the Russian Federation.
"4 Georgian citizens have been killed with special brutality in the Russian-occupied territories since 2014: in 2014 - 18-year-old Davit Basharuli, in 2016 - 31-year-old Giga Otkhozoria, in 2018 - 35-year-old Archil Tatunashvili, in 2019 - 29-year-old Irakli Kvaratskhelia."
According to the report, Russia's increased intervention has led to a sharp deterioration in the human rights situation in the occupied regions.
"The closure of most checkpoints along the dividing line has further aggravated the social situation - significantly increased the number of arrests on charges of “illegal border crossing”. Strict restrictions on freedom of movement have negatively affected the living conditions of people living in the occupied territories, access to education and health services, and contributed to discrimination against ethnic Georgians," the report said.
The de facto government of Abkhazia has established a so-called agreement with the rest of Georgia. The "border" was closed in March due to a coronavirus pandemic. After March, the 'border' was opened several times for humanitarian purposes.
The de facto government of Tskhinvali has closed the "border” with the rest of Georgia in September 2019 due to the location of a Georgian police checkpoint near the village of Chorchana in Khashuri Municipality.
Note that Russia's strategic military exercise 'Caucasus 2020' is also underway in the occupied regions of Georgia - Tsebeldi and Nagvalou training grounds in Abkhazia and the so-called In South Ossetia - at the robbery site.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the 'Armed Forces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia' are participating in the exercise together with the Russian military.
The Strategic Command-Staff Exercise 'Caucasus 2020' started on September 21st in the Southern Military District of Russia and the Black and Caspian Seas, with the participation of up to 80,000 military personnel, including special units of the National Guard and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In addition to Russians, up to a thousand troops from Armenia, Belarus, China, Myanmar and Pakistan are involved in the exercise.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the exercise will address issues related to the use of coalition forces to ensure military security in Southwestern Russia.
