UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution on Georgia’s Occupied Territories

The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution titled Cooperation with Georgia concerning the occupied territories of Georgia on October 11 during a meeting in Geneva. The resolution marks a significant step in addressing human rights violations in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali regions, which are under Russian occupation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia disseminated the news, highlighting the importance of the resolution, which was initiated by Georgia. During the discussions, several countries, including the European Union, Bulgaria, Japan, Luxembourg, and Finland, voiced their support, urging other members of the Council to back the resolution.

For the first time, the adopted resolution explicitly mentions the Russian occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali regions. Georgia’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lasha Darsalia, presented the resolution and spoke at the Council meeting. In his speech, Darsalia emphasized the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied territories, with numerous violations reported. He pointed out that Russia continues to maintain effective control over these regions, as confirmed by both the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Darsalia also noted that, despite repeated calls from the UN Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Russia has consistently blocked access for international human rights mechanisms and the Office of the Commissioner to these occupied areas.

The resolution received broad support, with 24 members of the Council voting in favor. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that this represented an increase in the number of supporters compared to the previous year.

In addition to documenting the Russian occupation, the resolution condemns the widespread human rights abuses occurring in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali regions. The Council expressed deep concern over the discrimination and violations targeting ethnic Georgians in these areas and the limitations imposed on international organizations working to restore trust and monitor the situation.

The resolution also calls for the immediate and unrestricted access of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international and regional human rights mechanisms to the occupied regions. It stresses the importance of international negotiations based on the 2008 ceasefire agreement and underscores the role of Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRM) in Gali and Ergneti.

The resolution mandates that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights present reports on the resolution’s implementation at the 58th and 59th sessions of the Council.

This development highlights the continued international focus on Georgia’s territorial integrity and the need to address the ongoing human rights violations in the Russian-occupied regions.