Ucha Nanuashvili: “I think Nobody Was Kidnapped in Lopota Valley”

Information Centre of Kakheti

“I think nobody kidnapped young people in Lopota Valley and so called terrorists had crossed Georgian Border at least several weeks ago. Young people accidently encountered them and they decided to get rid of so called paramilitaries. Presumably government wanted to use them for other purposes,” human rights defender Ucha Nanuashvili, executive director of Human Rights Center, said.

He has number of questions about Lapankuri operation that were not answered by the government yet. “Why is the scene of special operation and hospitals, where wounded officers are taken to, kept in secret? Why captured people are not allowed to return home for such a long time? Why only Imedi-TV and Rustavi 2 covered the kidnapping of 5 people? Why ministers of Internal Affair, Justice and Defense are members of the newly established Crisis Council? Why Minister of Justice? Where is National Security Council? Or President? Why similar council wasn’t so operatively set up during the war in 2008? When and how saboteurs crossed the border and passed by Russian and Georgian frontiers? Why were they declared to be saboteurs? Not everyone who breaches the border line is saboteur. Saboteurs blow up and damage country. Did they capture ordinary citizens? What was there request? If they are Dagestan paramilitaries persecuted by Russian law enforcement officers, they should have sought shelter here instead capturing people (like Chechens acted several years ago). If they are really from Dagestan, why they capture people? What is there motive? Did they take hostages instead asking for help? Maybe [Georgian] governmental officials want to make gift to Russian authority to ransom past sins. How do we know that there are 17 saboteurs? Maybe they are 16 or 18?  Why everything started just before August 30 when Ivanishvili announced his intention to make very important statement? Is this attempt to redirect attention? Is it an attempt to scare society?” Ucha Nanuashviuli asked.

Georgian MIA launched anti-terrorist operation in Lopota Valley on August 28 and it still continues. According to the MIA 2 officers and one doctor were killed; 5 officers of Georgian special force were wounded. 11 saboteurs are liquidated and 6 of them are in siege.