Thomas Hammarberg Intends to Set Up Independent Commission to Look for Missing Ossetian Citizens

Thomas Hammarberg, High Commissionaire of Human Rights of the Council of Europe is going to create an independent commission to look for Ossetian citizens, who disappeared during the Russian-Georgian war.

According to Tskhinvali de-facto Information and Printed Media Committee, Hammarberg stated about it yesterday at the meeting with the leader of Tskhinvali Regime, Eduard Kokoity.

The commissionaire of the CoE stated that he works actively on the issue and requested the government of Georgia to look for missing Ossetian citizens.

According to Hammarberg, their family members have right to know where these people are and if they are not alive, their bodies shall be given to the families. He thinks the fact shall be impartially investigated and offenders shall be punished.

At the meeting in Tskhinvali yesterday, Thomas Hammarberg also stated that the commission will start working in January, 2010.

Commissionaire of the CoE also spoke about Mark Dudaev and other citizens of Ossetia, who were detained before August, 2008.

“I will try to work about the issue in future too. However, government of Georgia categorically refuses to release them. I was informed, that they do not include ethnic Ossetian detainees on amnesty list”, stated Hammarberg.

According to the commissionaire, he works on the detention of two Russian and one Ossetian citizen. He says their trial will be scheduled soon in Georgia

Thomas Hammarberg visited Tskhinvali on December 17.

Source: Interpressnews