Officials: Georgian Police Violated Human Rights in S.Ossetia Arrests

Georgian Public Defender Sozar Subari and State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava described the May 27 incident in the South Ossetian conflict zone, involving the arrest of dozens of Ossetian civilians by the Georgian police, as a “violation of human rights.”

The detainees, who were arrested under the pretext of violating visa requirements and who were released on May 28, were reportedly beaten by the Georgian policemen.

“This is a clear violation of human rights… These people [Ossetians] are our citizens and although we are in a conflict we should not let anyone violate their rights,” Giorgi Khaindrava told reporters after talks in Tskhinvali.

“The Georgian police have violated human rights,” Sozar Subari said.

The State Minister and Public Defender met in Tskhinvali with breakaway region’s Deputy Chairman of the government Boris Chochiev and Interior Minister Mikhail Mindzaev.

The Georgian law enforcement agencies have not yet commented on the May 27 incident.