Paata Zakareishvili: “Georgian Side Will Have To Release Arbitrarily Detained Ossetians”

Ana Sheshaberidze

On November 30, Human Rights Commissionaire of the Council of Europe – Thomas Hammarberg met officials of the de-facto government of Tskhinvali in regard with the release of children kidnapped from Tirdznisi village. Separatists claim that the Georgian government has arbitrarily detained about 20 Ossetian people; so, they will release adults from Tirdznisi only after the hostages are exchanged under principle - “everybody in exchange of everybody”.

Before the Human Rights Commissionaire of the CoE arrived in Georgia, the chairperson of the parliamentary committee for foreign affairs Akaki Minashvili blamed Thomas Hammarberg with “some cooperation with Russia”. He said that when the problem is linked with Russia, Hammarberg is strangely inactive. Minashvili did not comment what “some cooperation with Russia” means.

In parallel, “Resonance” published an interview with the head of Shida Kartli regional police department who stated that the Georgian police has indeed really arrested several Ossetian citizens; however, he did not mention their names and stated they were accused in various crimes.

The Human Rights Center asked a member of the Republic Party and conflict scientist, Paata Zakareishvili to comment on the fact.

-Mr. Paata, MP Akaki Minashvili blamed Human Rights Commissionaire of the CoE Thomas Hammarberg in “some kind of cooperation” with Russia and explained his “inactivity” in the case of kidnapped adults from Tirdznisi village by this fact. What do you think about similar assessment of the MP?

¬-This statement is a very feeble statement and underlines the inability of the government of Georgia. The entire world should not be busy in the release of four children. When I was in the government, there was a commission which resolved similar problems very easily. But now, unfortunately, our government needs PR campaign and examples to expose Russian and Ossetian aggression.

It is not the first fact of such an attitude of the government. In 2007, during pre-election campaign in Abkhazia, Georgian side sent three children there and Abkhazian side detained them. Georgian side started PR campaign about this fact though it was easy to resolve the problem without much noise. I am sure, the situation is quite similar now – everything is sacrificed to the PR.

- Minashvili’s statement was followed by an action of Thomas Hammarberg. He met officials of the de-facto government and spoke about the exchange of Georgian adults and Ossetian prisoners arrested by Georgian side; the principle of the exchange should be “everybody in exchange of everybody”. According to Russian news agencies, Hammarberg promised the separatists to find out about people kidnapped by the Georgian side and spoke about partiality of the government of Georgia. Do you hope, the government of Georgia will be impartial about this issue?

-No, I do not! The government of Georgia is extremely biased and wants to hide its lack of principality behind the involvement of international organization. Activities of the government of Georgia are astonishing and of course I do not hope they will be impartial in this issue.

-In their interviews to Georgian media sources, Ossetian separatists mention names of 20 ethnic Ossetians detained by Georgian law enforcement officers. Do you have information about these detentions; who are they and are there any juveniles among them?

-I know that the Georgian side pleaded existence of arbitrary detainees in Gori. However, I do not have information about juveniles. Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has 5 Ossetian detainees. They are: Laliev, Kaziev, Eloev, and Iakob and Pavel Tekhovs. We pretend to speak about Rule of Law but existence of arbitrary detainees is extremely unacceptable in the just state. It is fact, that people are arbitrarily detained and their ethnicity does not make any difference. They have not been charged yet and investigation has not started against them. They do not have attorneys either. It is a complete turmoil.

-Will blaming European Commissionaire with inactivity and cooperation with Russia impact the international attitude about Georgia?

-Of course, it will have negative impact. Furthermore, Georgia has already damaged its reputation on the international level. A dead person cannot die several times. It has already passed away and that’s all. Similar statements demonstrate once more that we should not behave like that, but we cannot realize it. If they say that they do not believe in the impartiality of Georgia, it demonstrates everything. It means, we have low rating on international level.

-What do you think, how will the negotiations about the release of adults from Tirdznisi village will end”

-The Georgian side will have to release arbitrarily detained Ossetian people in Gori. It will result into the release of the children from Tirdznisi. Their detention is beyond moral as well as activities of the government of Georgia.