Martial Law Declared in Georgia

The Georgian Parliament has approved the presidential order on declaring a 15-day martial law on the entire territory of the country.

The decree reads:

“Based on the current situation and with the purpose of preventing destabilization, the facts of attacks and violence against peaceful population of the region, in order to protect human rights and freedoms, in accordance with article 78 of the Georgian constitution and article 6 of the martial law, the parliament rules:

1. To declare martial law on the entire territory of Georgia;
2. To define the duration of martial law at 15 days;
3. In respect of martial law to announce general mobilization and to use Georgian armed forces for preventing armed attacks;
4. To immediately publish the decree in media outlets, and consequently to air it through the Georgian Public Broadcaster;
5. To submit decree to the Parliament within 48 hours for approval;
6. The Georgian Foreign Ministry should immediately inform the UN Secretary General, the Council of Europe Secretary General, other international organizations and heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia about declaring martial law. 

“Georgia is in condition of Russia’s military aggression,” President Saakashvili said in televised remarks made at a session of the National Security Council on August 9. “This aggression is carried out by the Russian Black Sea navy, large-scale land operation and air forces.”

Saakashvili also said that air strikes carried out by the Russian warplanes aimed at seeding panic among the population.

He said that the South Ossetia was just a pretext used by Russia to launch a large scale military aggression against Georgia.