Georgian citizens Tamaz Psitidze and Zurab Petriashvili, who were illegally detained by the Russian-controlled occupation forces earlier this week in the vicinity of Akhalubani village of central Gori municipality, have been released, the Georgian State Security Service said on Wednesday. 

"Upon receiving the information about the illegal detention of the individuals, the hotline operated by the European Union Monitoring Mission was immediately activated and all the mechanisms at the disposal of the central Government were activated. The information was reported to the co-chairs of the international discussions in Geneva and international partners. EUMM Georgia was directly involved in the mentioned process”, the agency said. 

It highlighted the responsibility “for all destructive actions”  in the occupied regions of Georgia and along the occupation line “rests with the occupying power”. 

The central Government, together with international partners, will continue active work to release all persons in illegal detention in the occupation regions, the agency said.