HRW Report on Georgia

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in its annual report that all parties committed “serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law” during the August war.

The report, which is a review of human rights developments in the world last year, says that both Russia and Georgia used cluster bombs against each other, including in the areas populated by civilians.

In respect of Georgia, the report says that the Georgian forces used “indiscriminate force” by firing Grad multiple rocket launchers – the weapon “that should not be used in civilian areas.”

“The Georgian military used tanks and machine guns to fire at buildings in Tskhinvali, including at apartment buildings where civilians sheltered,” according to the report, which also adds, that “South Ossetian forces had fired on Georgian forces from at least some of these buildings.”

In respect of Russia, the report says that Russia’s use of cluster bombs resulted into civilian deaths and injuries.

“Russia also launched indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilian areas, causing casualties,” it says. “Russian forces in Georgia failed to protect civilians in areas under their effective control and prevented Georgian authorities from policing these areas, creating a security vacuum. Ossetian militias and armed criminal gangs looted and burned homes and killed, raped, beat, and threatened civilians in these areas.” 

In review of other human rights related development, the report says that the media environment in Georgia “remains mixed, with a vibrant print media, but increasingly limited television news broadcasting, apparently due to government pressure.”

It also reads that despite international calls, the Georgian authorities have “refused to launch a comprehensive investigation” into the excessive use of police force during the break up of the anti-governmental protest rallies on November 7, 2007. The report, however, notes that the authorities initiated investigations into “only a handful of cases of possible excessive use of force.”

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