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Complied by Liana Bezhanishvili
Tuesday, December 8
The two Georgian teenagers might not be released as promised
Mteli Kvira writes that the two Georgian teenagers in South Ossetia are still detained and might not be released on 13 December as initially promised. According to Ossetian media the Ossetian side has given EU Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg a list of Ossetians detained in Georgia whose release it has very persistently demanded, and said that it is possible to begin negotiations with the Georgian side about 3 Ossetian prisoners.
"We asked Hammarberg to begin, during the 10 days before the President makes a decision about the two remaining Georgian teenagers, negotiations with the Georgian side about three Ossetian prisoners convicted of terrorist offences in Gori," stated the so-called South Ossetian President’s Special Representative on Conflict Resolution, Boris Chochiev. “We also want to see talks about the release of three Russian citizens, Khestanov, Anzoev, and Tadtaev. We have demanded information about seven missing South Ossetian citizens. It is very difficult to believe they are just missing because we have information that they are in Georgian prisons,” he continued.
According to Ossetian radio and TV Thomas Hammarberg must fulfil the promise he gave to international lawyers and experts to hold an inquiry into the fate of the missing citizens.
Sandro Girgvliani’s father breaks silence
Kviris Kronika reports that Guram Girgvliani, the father of 28 year old Sandro Girgvliani who died after being taken to the Okrohana cemetery by officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has broken his silence on the case.
"On 2 February the action we have brought against the Georgian Government will be considered in Strasbourg. The case should have been heard on 1 December but Georgian case against Russia over Ossetia was moved forward on our Government's demand. I am planning to go to Strasbourg on 2 February,” stated Guram Girgvliani.
“When I was in Svaneti I started to think about this. I want to collect full documentary materials from newspapers, journals and interviews and also the book of poetry dedicated to Sandro Girgvliani and Irina Enukidze. One girl has also written a play about the case, it is wonderful play. I am also helping the Irina Enukidze Fund and am going to establish a Justice Premium, an award which will be given to well-known journalists and lawyers who genuinely defend human rights. Once a year a jury will convene and bestow this award.
"This is my final method of struggle, undertaken to ensure that people do not forget this case while this Government is in power. What we will do it leaves is another question for another time,” he said.
There is a difference between criticising the Government and acting against the state
The authorities spread the information last week that Russia will use things written in Salome Zourabichvili’s book against Georgia at the Hague tribunal, Kviris Palitra writes. Political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze, asked whether memoirs can be used as evidence in a dispute between states, commented: "Salome Zourabichvili has not held a Government post for several years. However Dachi Grdzelishvili can also say that Georgia was preparing for war. Can this be taken into account by the Hague Tribunal? Russian troops were stationed in Georgia while Zourabichvili was Foreign Minister but we heard no war rhetoric then. So what kind of preparations can we talk about now?"
Mteli Kvira writes that the two Georgian teenagers in South Ossetia are still detained and might not be released on 13 December as initially promised. According to Ossetian media the Ossetian side has given EU Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg a list of Ossetians detained in Georgia whose release it has very persistently demanded, and said that it is possible to begin negotiations with the Georgian side about 3 Ossetian prisoners.
"We asked Hammarberg to begin, during the 10 days before the President makes a decision about the two remaining Georgian teenagers, negotiations with the Georgian side about three Ossetian prisoners convicted of terrorist offences in Gori," stated the so-called South Ossetian President’s Special Representative on Conflict Resolution, Boris Chochiev. “We also want to see talks about the release of three Russian citizens, Khestanov, Anzoev, and Tadtaev. We have demanded information about seven missing South Ossetian citizens. It is very difficult to believe they are just missing because we have information that they are in Georgian prisons,” he continued.
According to Ossetian radio and TV Thomas Hammarberg must fulfil the promise he gave to international lawyers and experts to hold an inquiry into the fate of the missing citizens.
Sandro Girgvliani’s father breaks silence
Kviris Kronika reports that Guram Girgvliani, the father of 28 year old Sandro Girgvliani who died after being taken to the Okrohana cemetery by officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has broken his silence on the case.
"On 2 February the action we have brought against the Georgian Government will be considered in Strasbourg. The case should have been heard on 1 December but Georgian case against Russia over Ossetia was moved forward on our Government's demand. I am planning to go to Strasbourg on 2 February,” stated Guram Girgvliani.
“When I was in Svaneti I started to think about this. I want to collect full documentary materials from newspapers, journals and interviews and also the book of poetry dedicated to Sandro Girgvliani and Irina Enukidze. One girl has also written a play about the case, it is wonderful play. I am also helping the Irina Enukidze Fund and am going to establish a Justice Premium, an award which will be given to well-known journalists and lawyers who genuinely defend human rights. Once a year a jury will convene and bestow this award.
"This is my final method of struggle, undertaken to ensure that people do not forget this case while this Government is in power. What we will do it leaves is another question for another time,” he said.
There is a difference between criticising the Government and acting against the state
The authorities spread the information last week that Russia will use things written in Salome Zourabichvili’s book against Georgia at the Hague tribunal, Kviris Palitra writes. Political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze, asked whether memoirs can be used as evidence in a dispute between states, commented: "Salome Zourabichvili has not held a Government post for several years. However Dachi Grdzelishvili can also say that Georgia was preparing for war. Can this be taken into account by the Hague Tribunal? Russian troops were stationed in Georgia while Zourabichvili was Foreign Minister but we heard no war rhetoric then. So what kind of preparations can we talk about now?"