Amnesty International, a London-based international human rights organization, calls on Russia and de facto authorities in occupied Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia to immediately release Vazha Gaprindashvili.
In a statement released on November 22, Amnesty International said that “the complete ban on movement” between the occupied region and Georgia proper, “is undermining the human rights of local civilians.”
In its statement, Amnesty International also refers to recent detention and sentencing of a Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili in occupied Tskhinvali, saying “such detentions are arbitrary and constitute violations of the right to liberty and security of the person, contrary to Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
“In these circumstances both Russia and the de facto authorities must ensure that Vazha Gaprindashvili is immediately released from the detention and compensated for the harm he has suffered as a result,” Amnesty International said, adding that “they must also ensure that no-one is subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in the territory under their control.”
Renowned Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili has been held in custody by the the de facto government of Tskhinvali region sonce Nov 9. He was first placed in pre-trial cell in Akhalgori Municipality. Along with Vazha Gaprindashvili, three Georgian citizens were also detained. All the three of them were fined and exiled from the territory, whereas the doctor was again taken to the cell. A criminal investigation against him is still in progress.
The de facto government has accused the Georgians of illegally crossing the so-called border. The Georgian doctor has denied the accusation by stating that he is in the territory of Georgia.
The detained doctor's family surmises that he went to Akhalgori to provide a local with medical assistance, since she was unable to cross the border and get the required treatment in Tbilisi.
The hotline has operated after Gaprindashvili's detention and The European Union Monitoring Mission has been notified of the incident.
According to Georgian PM, the government is applying all the international tools at hand to free the doctor.
State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili declared that she has obtained information by a number of sources saying that Vazha Gaprindashvili will soon be released from custody.
Demonstrations in support of Gaprindashvili have been held in the city and regions. His colleagues and adherents staged a White Lab Coats Demonstration outside their clinics.
The U.S. Embassy in Georgia released a statement in which it "calls for the immediate release" of Dr. Gaprindashvili.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia also condemned detention of the Georgian doctor and demands his immediate release from custody.
