Georgia to Blacklist 33 Persons for Grave Human Rights Violations in Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

Georgian authorities will blacklist 33 persons convicted or charged with grave crimes committed against the citizens of Georgia in the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia since early 1990s.

The draft government decree, which draws on the bipartisan parliamentary resolution and sets the so called “Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili List,” was presented by Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze at a press briefing today, shortly before the first sitting of his cabinet.

“First, I would like to present a draft decree, which relates to a very painful and principal issue for our country – a matter of our dignity, I would even say,” the PM stressed in his remarks.

Bakhtadze then noted that the list “for now, includes 33 persons,” who have had a part in “murder, kidnapping, torture” and in concealing these crimes since 1991. The Prime Minister, however, did not specify names of the individuals to be included in the list.

“The list is not final, since law enforcement bodies are continuing the investigative activities and it might increase even further,” he added.

PM Bakhtadze also announced that the Government had also agreed on restrictive measures to be applied against the blacklisted individuals, including by partner countries and international organizations.

“We will spare no efforts that the Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili list enjoys full support of the international community and that it brings about tangible results,” he stressed.

The Parliament of Georgia adopted a bipartisan resolution condemning gross human rights violations in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region on March 21 in the wake of the death of a Georgian citizen, Archil Tatunashvili.

The resolution, among others, calls on the Government to work with foreign partners and international organizations on imposing visa restrictions against individuals included in the black list, and to ban their financial and property transactions.

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