Tskhinvali Releases Two Teens, Holds Two Others

Two Georgian teenagers held in Tskhinvali for about a month were freed on December 2, but two others remain in detention.

Authorities in breakaway South Ossetia said, court in Tskhinvali gave Giorgi Romelashvili and Aleko Tsabadze, both 14 years old, one year conditional sentence and were freed from the courtroom. But two others – Levan Khmiadashvili and Viktor Buchukuri, 17 and 16 years old, respectively – were sentenced to one year prison term.

All four teenagers were arrested in vicinity of Tskhinvali on November 4 and charged with “illegal crossing the South Ossetian border and possession of explosives.”

Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, accompanied released two Georgian teenagers over the breakaway region’s administrative border late on Wednesday evening.

Hammarberg told reporters in Ergneti at the breakaway region’s administrative border that the case of two teenagers would be held in supreme court in ten days and he hoped they would also be released, RFE/RL reported.

“Two boys are here; they go home tonight to their families. Two boys will be kept another ten days and then they will be released; that is the situation,” he said.

He also said that problems remain as “there are people still detained on the both sides” and added that efforts would continue to resolve this issue.

The release of two teenagers comes after the Georgian side freed five Ossetians early on December 2.

The five men were handed over by the Georgian authorities to CoE human rights commissioner, who brought former detainees to Tskhinvali. The Georgian officials so far decline to comment on release of five Ossetians.

CoE human rights chief is in Georgia holding intensive talks both in Tbilisi and Tskhinvali on release of detainees since November 27.

President Saakashvili’s spokesperson, Manana Manjgaladze, said the President welcomed release of two Georgian minors, but was concerned with "inhuman decision of the occupying forces" to keep two other teenagers held in Tskhinvali. She also said that the President was greatful to CoE huamn rights commissioner and head of EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia for thier contribution to release of two teens.

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