Opposition urges Georgian authorities to protect Abkhazians and South-Ossetians

If residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are called to participate in the special operation in Ukraine, Georgian authorities should take measures to ensure safety of those who wouldn't take part therein, Elene Khoshtariya, the leader of the oppositional "Droa" Party, has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 26, Anatoly Bibilov, President of South Ossetia, announced that South-Ossetians had been sent to Ukraine.

At a briefing on March 29, Elene Khoshtariya, the "Droa" leader, called on Georgian authorities to ensure the protection of those citizens of Abkhazia and South Ossetia who would not like to take part in the special operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine in the event of general mobilization. "The local population has fears that a mandatory conscription will soon start with the aim to send conscripts to the special operation. This is categorically unacceptable, both according to the international law, to our legislation and at the human level," Ms Khoshtariya said at the briefing, as quoted in the party's message sent to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

She pointed out that Georgian authorities have legal mechanisms in place to ensure the protection of residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including applying to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and providing shelter in the territory controlled by Georgian authorities.

Georgian conflict experts have also supported the opposition. Giorgi Kanashvili, a conflictologist, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the country's authorities can take measures to ensure "an unhindered passage for those who want to hide from conscription" to the territory controlled by Georgia.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 29, 2022 at 10:35 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.