The European Union expressed its “deep concern” with detention of four Georgian teenagers, who remain held in Tskhinvali since November 4, and “urges for a rapid release of all detained persons.”

“The European Union underlines the need to take into account the specific rights of underage detainees in accordance with international standards, in particular the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,” EU’s Swedish presidency said in a statement on November 12.

It also calls on all sides to address this kind of incidents within Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism – a body set up for regular contacts between the parties.

“The European Union calls on all parties to use their influence to prevent incidents of this kind from taking place and reiterates its full respect for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders,” the statement says.