Foreign Minister Darchiashvili Condemns Ginturi's Murder by Russian Forces as Another Act of Violence Against Ethnic Georgians
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, December 1, 2023
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili, addressed the participants of the session at the 30th meeting of the Council of Ministers of the OSCE.
In his address, Darchiashvili, stated that for more than 15 years, Russia has been continuing its illegal occupation of the indivisible regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, in gross violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international law.
"For 15 years, Russia has continued its illegal occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, which are integral parts of Georgia. The population living in the occupied territories are victims of severe human rights violations. Isolated by barbed wire, they are separated from relatives, agricultural lands, and religious services, deprived of freedom of movement and basic needs. Illegal arrests and abductions have become an established practice, endangering people's lives.
The recent killing of a Georgian citizen, Tamaz Ginturi, by the Russian occupying forces near the village of Kirbali in the Gori municipality, is another act of violence against ethnic Georgians," Darchiashvili stated.
As the minister emphasized in his speech, the full-scale military aggression carried out by Russia against Georgia in 2008 violated the international order, setting a precedent that was followed by the annexation of Crimea by Ukraine in 2014 and the ongoing aggressive war in Ukraine.
"Russia's full-scale aggression against my country in 2008 was followed by Russia's annexation attempt in Ukraine on the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. The ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia's aggression have put the international order and security in the region at risk," Darchiashvili said.
The MFA minister stated that the country is committed to peace, emphasizing two main goals: the de-occupation of Georgian territory from the Russian Federation and the reconciliation of divided societies.
