Tbilisi set to raise illegal borderization, detentions at Ergneti meeting with de facto authorities

The 118th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) is currently underway in the village of Ergneti, central Georgia, with de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) authorities, where the Georgian Government delegation is set to address concerns regarding illegal “borderization” and detentions.

“At today’s meeting, our focus will be on reviewing all incidents documented since the last gathering. These include instances of illegal ‘borderization’ and detentions. Regarding illegal ‘borderization,’ we have documented three occurrences since our last meeting, spanning across the municipalities of (central) Gori and Kareli. These incidents involve the unauthorized installation and renewal of barriers, particularly wires, in the occupied territories (by Russia) adjacent to Knolevi and Cholibauri villages in Kareli municipality. Similarly, in the municipality of Gori, similar activities were observed near Zardiantkari village,”  Irakli Antadze, Deputy Head of the Analytical Department of the Georgian State Security Service, said in his briefing to the media ahead of the meeting.

In regard to illegal detentions, he reported that currently, six Georgian citizens remain in unlawful detention. “Securing their release will be a key focus of today’s agenda,” Antadze emphasized.

During the meeting, the Georgian delegation also intends to seek clarification on the case involving the death of Tamaz Ginturi, which occurred near Kirbali village on November 6 of the previous year by Russian-controlled occupation forces. 

“We will inquire about the status of any investigation into the murder of Ginturi and whether any suspects have been identified,” Antadze added. The 117th meeting of the IPRM convened in Ergneti on February 13 of this year.