Government Unveils Tatunashvili-Otkhozoria List

The Government of Georgia approved yesterday the so called Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili list, a decree authorizing Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries 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.

The list includes 33 persons, mostly Abkhaz and South Ossetian militants, convicted or charged with grave crimes committed against ethnic Georgians in the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia since early 1990s. Crimes committed in the predominantly ethnic Georgian Gali district tops the Abkhazia part of the black list.

Tskhinvali Region

Davit Gurtsiev – charged with illegal confinement and assistance in torture of Archil Tatunashvili, as well as with illegal confinement of Ioseb Pavliashvili and Levan Kutashvili in Tskhinvali region in 2018;

Alik Taboev – charged with illegal confinement and assistance in torture of Archil Tatunashvili, as well as with illegal confinement of Ioseb Pavliashvili and Levan Kutashvili in Tskhinvali region in 2018;

Lev Bichenov – charged and wanted for kidnapping or illegal confinement of Elza Balamtsarishvili from village Adzvi in Gori district in 1999, violence against policeman Vladimer Chalauri, purchasing and carrying of firearms, ammunition or explosives without a permission;

Gia Tuaev – charged and wanted for kidnapping or illegal confinement of Bagrat Mariamidze in Tskhinvali region in 1992;

Piso Vazagov – charged and wanted for kidnapping or illegal confinement of Bagrat Mariamidze in Tskhinvali region in 1992;

Tamaz Bestaev – charged and wanted for attempted murder of J. Durglishvili for the purpose of reprisal in Tskhinvali region in 2006;

Ramchik Pukhaev – charged and wanted for illegal confinement of Spartak Licheli and Vladimer Giorgadze from village Atotsi in Kareli Municipality in 2008;

Arkady Dzeranov – charged and wanted for kidnapping Rostom Nozadze and Vasil Gelashvili in Tskhinvali region in 2007;

Zurab Dudaev – charged and wanted for premeditated murder of Dinori Khaduri, kidnapping or illegal confinement of Merab Jinikashvili, Giorgi Jinikashvili and Guram Valiev on Eredvi-Vanati road in Tskhinvali region in 1991.

Abkhazia

Rashid Kanji-Ogli – charged and put on Interpol’s wanted list for murdering Georgian citizen Giga Otkhozoria on the Georgian-controlled territory at the Khurcha-Nabakevi crossing point in Zugdidi district in 2016;

Slavik Badia – charged and wanted for robbing and taking Georgian citizens hostage near village Otobaia in Gali district in 2001;

Raul Kortava (died on February 12, 2018) – charged and wanted for treason, banditry, kidnapping, illegal confinement, taking hostage and killing people in Abkhazia in 1992-1993, as well as other crimes against Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity;

Zaur Chitanava – charged and wanted for attemped murder of Gali residents from village Chuburkhinji – Nana Dzigua and Mzia Chitanava and murder of Demiko Dzigua in 1997;

Tsibrona (Eka) Akhalaia – charged and wanted for burglary and banditry in village Pichori of Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Valiko Gurjia, Lela Kortava-Buliskeria, Boris Meporia and Zurab Alpenidze committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Otar Turnanba (died on December 25, 2006) – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Ganchkhi Minaev committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Alika Tsabria – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Ganchkhi Minaev committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Ruslan Jopua – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tengiz Gvinjilia and brothers Mamuka and Nugzar Barkaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Roza Mirtskhulava – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tengiz Gvinjilia and brothers Mamuka and Nugzar Barkaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Dimitr Arshba – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tengiz Gvinjilia and brothers Mamuka and Nugzar Barkaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Vladimer Gunia – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in the Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tengiz Gvinjilia and brothers Mamuka and Nugzar Barkaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Alkhaz Mirtskhulava – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tengiz Gvinjilia and brothers Mamuka and Nugzar Barkaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Gia Tuzhba – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tengiz Gvinjilia and brothers Mamuka and Nugzar Barkaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Genrikh Chanba – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as illegal purchase, keeping and carrying of firearms, premeditated murder of Nugzar Davitadze committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Vladimer Anua – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Donari Pareishvili, Rudini Pareishvili and Raul Gogokhia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Zaur Tsetskhladze (Mikheil Tarba) – charged and wanted for banditry, genocide, ethnic cleansing in Gali district in 1998, as well as premeditated murder of Zaur Ubilava, Guda Dzandzava and Otar Tsulaia committed under aggravating circumstances, with especial cruelty, on the grounds of national intolerance;

Genady Ashkhatsava – charged and wanted for kidnapping and illegal confinement of 12 persons in Zugdidi and Gali districts in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004;

Gela Vanacha – charged and wanted for kidnapping and illegal confinement of 12 persons in Zugdidi and Gali districts in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004;

Otar Palavandzia – charged and put on Interpol’s wanted list for capturing and murdering Zhiuli Shartava, chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia in Sokhumi in 1993;

Oleg Papaskiri – charged and put on Interpol’s wanted list for capturing and murdering Zhiuli Shartava, chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia in Sokhumi in 1993;

Aprikan Bganba – charged and put on Interpol’s wanted list for confinement and exerting violence against Georgian citizen, Levan Mamasakhlisi, in Gagra in 2001;

Vakhtang Ubiria – charged and put on Interpol’s wanted list for confinement and exerting violence against Georgian citizen, Levan Mamasakhlisi, in Gagra in 2001;

Vladimer Nachach-Ogli (died on February 8, 2011) – charged and put on Interpol’s wanted list for confinement and exerting violence against Georgian citizen, Levan Mamasakhlisi, in Gagra in 2001;

Shurik Kokoskeria – charged and wanted for genocide, ethnic cleansing, banditry, illegal purchase, keeping, carrying and transportation of firearms in 1996-1998, as well as premeditated murder of Tamara Shelia committed under aggravating circumstances, on the grounds of national intolerance.

Political Assessments

MP Sergi Kapanadze of the European Georgia said it was regretful that “the list does not include the representatives of [Russian] FSB, GRU and occupation forces on the ground, who exercise effective control and are in most cases responsible not only for committing these crimes, but also for covering up the perpetrators.”

He also slammed the government as “irresponsible” for putting “deceased persons” on the list.

MP Roman Gotsiridze of the United National Movement party criticized the list as well, saying the list should be wider and should include other offenders, including the Russians.

Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze explained later that the list would increase and would include those, who had covered up the crimes.

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 government decree, which draws on the bipartisan parliamentary resolution and sets the so called Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili List, was submitted to the Parliament yesterday.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)