Detained Ossetians released on bail

The remaining two of the four Ossetian men recently detained by Georgian authorities were released on bail on July 22, an Interior Ministry spokesman confirmed yesterday.

All four Ossetian men were detained on Tbilisi-controlled territory on July 20 and two were released the following day.

The two released on GEL 2000 bail each are accused of drug and weapons offences but have not been formally charged, Interior Ministry Spokesman Shot Utiashvili told the Messenger.

The South Ossetian side claimed the detention was retaliation for the arrest of Georgian citizen Teimuraz Goginashvili in Tskhinvali. Tbilisi denied any connection between the arrests.

Yesterday Georgian news agency Kavkaz Press reported that Goginashvili—who had been accused by de facto South Ossetian authorities of murdering Ossetians during the separatist conflict—has been released.

The Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman could not confirm the release but said it was expected.

Tensions have been high in the separatist region recently. Earlier this week the UN Security Council discussed Russia’s decision to briefly send military aircraft over South Ossetia on July 8.

Moscow says it had reason to believe Georgia was ready to mount an operation in the breakaway region to free four soldiers held by separatist authorities but released that same day.