Two Georgian Citizens Illegally Detained in 2024 Near Tskhinvali Occupation Line Released to Tbilisi

Two Georgian citizens who were detained on September 16, 2024, near Mejvriskhevi, a village in Gori municipality adjacent to the Tskhinvali occupation line, have been released and returned to the Tbilisi-controlled territory, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said on October 22. The agency reported the releases after two years in custody on the same day as the 135th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM), which addresses the security incidents on the ground and brings together the representatives of Georgia’s central government and de facto authorities of Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, was held in Ergneti, a village near the Tskhinvali occupation line.

“All relevant instruments available to the central government were used to release Georgian citizens from illegal detention, including the ‘hotline’ mechanism managed by the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM),” the SSSG said, adding that they “continue to work actively toward the release of all Georgian citizens held in illegal detention in the occupied territories. ” In line with its practice, the agency did not disclose the individuals’ identities or publish any photos of their release. According to the SSSG, “the issue of the Georgian citizens’ unconditional release from illegal detention was regularly discussed within the frameworks of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) and the Geneva International…