Two Georgian Citizens Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces Released
Two Georgian citizens, who were illegally detained by Russian occupation forces, have been released, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said, without disclosing their names or publishing photos, unlike in previous cases.
The detainees were identified by the Tskhinvali-based RES news agency as Nika Kokoshvili and Guram Grdzelishvili.
The two were illegally detained on January 13 near the village of Dvani in the Kareli municipality, the SSSG said upon announcing their release on January 20, adding that they are now in Tbilisi-controlled territory. The agency had not reported the detention at the time.
“In the best interests of those illegally detained, we deliberately refrained from disclosing their names and other details in order not to interfere with the process,” the SSSG stated, adding, “Past practice shows that in such cases, achieving a positive outcome is far more likely this way.”
“All relevant instruments available to the central government were actively used in the process of securing the release of the illegally detained Georgian citizens,” the agency said, adding that it “continues active efforts to secure the release of all Georgian citizens illegally detained in the occupied territories.”
Note: This article was updated on January 21 at 11:35 to include information on the identities of the detainees.
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