About Civil.ge
Eng | Geo | Rus
Last updated: 10:55 - 1 May.'18
RSS
Mobile
Twitter
Facebook
Tskhinvali Refuses to Hand over Tatunashvili’s Body
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 26 Feb.'18 / 17:28

The Russian-backed Tskhinvali authorities refused to accommodate the request of the Georgian State Security Service (SSS) to hand over the body of Archil Tatunashvili, who died at the hands of the local security force last week.

The announcement was made by Kakhaber Kemoklidze, deputy head at the Security Service’s department of information and analysis, shortly after the technical meeting in village Ergneti, convened at the request of Tbilisi through EUMM.

“The de facto authorities have stated that they were unable to conduct an in-depth examination when they initially inspected Tatunashvili’s body, and therefore, they asked the Russian Federation to conduct the examination,” Kemoklidze told journalists, adding that the examination period, according to Tskhinvali authorities, “could last for several days.”

Asked to comment on reports that Tskhinvali authorities were intentionally delaying the process to hide traces of torture, Kemoklidze said “these doubts exist not only in Tatunashvili’s family but in all of us, since there are many unanswered questions in this case and since the statements that were made by the de facto authorities, including through the so called South Ossetia’s media, are contradictory and their allegations are nonsense.”

The Security Service representative commented on the detention of two other Georgian citizens, who were released from custody after Tatunashvili’s death but deprived of the right to leave the region, saying he demanded that Levan Kutashvili and Ioseb Pavliashvili be allowed to travel to the Tbilisi-administered territory. “This is a classic example of the violation of their right to freedom of movement.”

Archil Tatunashvili, a thirty-five-year old native of Akhalgori Municipality in Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, died at the hands of the Russian-backed Tskhinvali authorities following his detention on February 22. 

Tskhinvali authorities claim that during his transfer to a detention cell after being questioned, Tatunashvili fought back and “sustained injuries, was knocked down and rolled down the stairs,” after which he was taken to hospital, where he died of heart failure.

Tatunashvili’s family denies the version, saying he was tortured and killed by the Tskhinvali security forces. Public Defender Nino Lomjaria claimed Tatunashvili was already dead when he was taken to hospital and had signs of being beaten.

Archil Tatunashvili’s family members, who live in Tsilkani settlement of internally displaced persons from Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, have been requesting the transfer of his body to the Tbilisi-administered territory.

Latest News
01 May.'18 10:55
We Have Moved to a New Platform
Direct Your Bookmarks to https://civil.ge.
29 Apr.'18 03:54
Ruling Party Candidate Wins MP By-Elections
Givi Chichinadze will represent Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency in the Parliament of Georgia.
28 Apr.'18 09:40
Polls Open for Vani and Khoni MP By-Elections
48,123 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency.
27 Apr.'18 17:23
State Dept’s Europe Affairs Point Man to Visit Tbilisi
Wess Mitchell will meet senior government officials and address the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum.
27 Apr.'18 13:45
In Quotes: Georgian Politicians on Ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Comeback
Bidzina Ivanishvili will be approved as the Georgian Dream party chairman at the upcoming convention.
26 Apr.'18 18:15
SG Jens Stoltenberg: Georgia NATO’s ‘Very Close’ Partner
The NATO Secretary General says Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow will recognize the country’s progress.
26 Apr.'18 14:24
Ex-PM Ivanishvili to Chair Georgian Dream Party
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Ivanishvili was ‘best equipped’ to add new dynamism to the party.
26 Apr.'18 11:12
Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Liability for ‘Insult of Religious Feelings’
The parliamentary human rights committee decided to set up a working group for scrutinizing the draft law.
25 Apr.'18 17:21
New Abkhaz Government Head Appointed
Gennady Gagulia has served as the Abkhaz “prime minister” twice - in 1995-1997, and 2002-2003.
25 Apr.'18 14:43
Watchdog Improves Georgia’s Press Freedom Ranking
None of the countries of the former Soviet Union (except the Baltics) are ranked ahead of Georgia.

About Civil Georgia
Civil.Ge © 2001-2024, Daily News Online
Registered office: 2 Dolidze Str, 4-th Floor.
11