UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution on Occupied Regions of Georgia

On April 4, with 22 votes in favor and 4 against, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution “On Cooperation with Georgia” which expresses serious concern about the human rights situation in the occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia.

The preamble of the resolution reaffirms the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. The resolution condemns Russia’s illegal military presence in both regions and attempts to legitimize it through illegal elections, treaties, land seizures, and statements about holding a referendum.

The resolution further expresses “serious concern at the continued process of installation and advancement of barbed wire fences and different artificial barriers along the administrative boundary line”; notes with concern the grave situation of human rights in both Georgian regions, particularly owing to growing violations and restrictions on humanitarian access; and expresses “serious concern at various forms of reported discrimination against ethnic Georgians, cases of torture and other forms of ill-treatment, infringements of the right to life, the right to liberty and security of person” as well as “unlawful killings of Georgian citizens” with impunity in the period of 2014-2020.

The resolution takes note of the judgment of March 7, 2023 of the European Court of Human Rights in the case Mamasakhlisi and Others v. Georgia and Russia, “which once again confirmed the effective control of the Russian Federation over Abkhazia, Georgia before the war between the Russian Federation and Georgia in August 2008, and its full responsibility for human rights violations in the region”.

UN Human Rights Council also “expresses serious concern that violations and abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons living therein create an additional threat of further displacement”.

• 10/03/2023 –  ECHR Rules Russia Responsible for Violation of Human Rights by de-facto Abkhaz Authorities
• 16/12/2022 –  ICC Concludes Investigation Phase into 2008 Conflict

The UN Human Rights Council therefore requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights continue to provide technical assistance through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Tbilisi; demands that immediate and unimpeded access be given to the Office of the High Commissioner and international and regional human rights mechanisms to both Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia; and requests the High Commissioner to present to the Human Rights Council a report on developments relating to and the implementation of the present resolution at its fifty-fourth session of UNGA.

Also Read:

• 25/03/2021 –  UNHRC Adopts Resolution on Occupied Georgian Regions
• 23/06/2020 –  UNHRC Passes Resolution on Occupied Georgian Regions
• 19/02/2005 – UNHRC’s Special Rapporteur Visits Georgia

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