Russian Soldiers Will Open Prison in School Building

Geronti Kalichava, Zugdidi

Russian soldiers decided to open pretrial detention setting in the school building of the village of Lekukhona in Gali district.

The Human Rights Center was reported about the decision from the village. The respondent prefers to stay anonymous and said that representatives of the Russian FSB called parents of pupils, teachers and village governor to the meeting last week. “Russian officials told us they were going to open detention setting in the school building and will choose another building for school; they plan to make rest-rooms for the border officers in one part of the school building. The population is worried about their decision.”

The villagers are concerned and say the village will not have school soon because there is no alternative building in Lekukhona where school can move to. Locals think their children will have to learn at the school in the neighboring village of Saberio which is a long way from Lekukhona. Russian soldiers chose the building for the detention setting because it is close to the administrative border. So, they will not have to take the detainees for arbitrary crossing of the border to Gali who are usually released after fine is paid.

Tornike Kilanava, representative of the legitimate government of Abkhazia to Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, said that Russian soldiers want to control the special examination procedures of the detainees personally. “It is pure military unit which has not worked with society before and it is demonstrated by their decision on opening detention setting in the school building.”

Russian soldiers plan to open the detention setting early in November. They have already brought construction materials as locals report.