Below is the weekly digest of key developments and discourses in and around the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, as well as those concerning Tbilisi–Moscow relations.
Sokhumi’s facto foreign minister Oleg Bartsits paid a working visit to the Gali district, where he met with the so-called Gali district head Konstantin Pilia to discuss current issues of cooperation, including the provision of “consular services” to residents. Bartsits also visited the Enguri checkpoint, where he reviewed its operations and was briefed on the current situation at the crossing. The visit also included discussions on the possible resumption of Gali’s Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) and prospects for further engagement on the issue.
Abkhazia’s de facto leader Badra Gunba has ordered tighter oversight of grants allocated under the de facto Ministry of Agriculture’s “Agricultural Development for 2025” program and the de facto Ministry of Economy’s program supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, the latter implemented with direct financial support from Russia.
“We have neither the right nor the possibility to implement projects knowing that they will ultimately produce no effect,” Gunba said, stressing the need for greater efficiency in the use of public funds.
Gunba also raised the possibility of violations in the implementation of the programs, given the significant volume of funding. He said that any identified violations should be addressed and that those responsible should return the funds to the local budget. Oversight of the programs was assigned to the de facto prosecutor general’s office, interior ministry, and state security service, which were instructed to establish an “interagency commission” to monitor their implementation.
The decision to involve law enforcement agencies was interpreted within Abkhaz society as an indication that there are significant irregularities in the programs. Notably, the announcement came shortly after a visit to Abkhazia by Sergey Kiriyenko, the Kremlin official overseeing relations with the region, who regularly visits Abkhazia and reviews programs and infrastructure projects financed by Russia.
The de facto security services of Russia-occupied Abkhazia arrested local resident Roman Darsalia on allegations of making remarks about the Abkhaz “committing genocide of the Georgian people” during the 1992-1993 armed conflict. The de facto security service also published a video apology, where Darsalia introduces himself as a “citizen of Abkhazia” and apologizes for “unintentionally hurting the feelings of our people.”
In a non-original video of the livestream uploaded by Abkhaz sources, Darsalia is seen introducing himself to a Ukrainian blogger, Andriy Popyk, as being “from Abkhazia” but being ethnically “Megrelian” rather than “Apsua” (ethnic Abkhaz). During the conversation, Darsalia is heard agreeing with the blogger as the latter says that during the Abkhazia armed conflict, “there was a genocide of Georgian people; they drove everyone out.” However, it isn’t specified during the section who committed the genocide, and neither does the section show Darsalia making the genocide remarks himself. (More here).
Following his apology, Darsalia was released. However, the de facto Interior Ministry later reported that a search of his home had uncovered and seized ammunition, and that a criminal case had been opened against him.
Abkhazia’s de facto president Badra Gunba paid a visit to Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan, where he met with its Head Radiy Khabirov to discuss expanding “cooperation” in the economic, trade, transport, tourism, education and cultural sectors. During the talks, Gunba described cooperation between Abkhazia and Bashkortostan as having reached an “unprecedented level” and emphasized the importance of direct contacts with Russian regions. He also thanked Bashkortostan for its assistance with the reconstruction of Sokhumi’s waterfront.
According to Gunba, trade turnover between Abkhazia and Bashkortostan increased 15-fold in 2025. The sides discussed expanding the supply of Abkhaz agricultural products to Bashkortostan, as well as opportunities for Abkhaz businesses to use the region for storing and marketing their produce.
Transport and tourism cooperation were another focus of the visit. Direct flights between Ufa and Sokhumi were launched in May 2026 and have reportedly maintained high occupancy rates. Gunba noted that demand for the flights remained strong even after the end of the tourist season. Gunba invited Khabirov to visit Abkhazia on September 30, the so-called “Victory and Independence Day.”
Badra Gunba has approved a plan for “large-scale operational-tactical exercises” to be held from October 12 to 16.
According to Apsnypress, the exercises will involve “units on permanent alert” and reservists from Abkhazia’s so-called armed forces, as well as servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces. The exercises are intended to “practice modern forms and methods of troop deployment, as well as the most complex aspects of commanding formations during combat operations,” the agency reported.
The training will reportedly include “the use of artillery, armored vehicles, and aviation,” with attention paid to “the use of high-tech weapons, command and control systems, and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.”
An illegally detained Georgian citizen was released from custody in the occupied Tskhinvali/South Ossetia region and transferred to Tbilisi-controlled territory, the State Security Service of Georgia said on September 1. The man, identified by Res, a Tskhinvali-based news agency, as 31-year-old Giorgi Uznadze, had been detained there since March 18.
In Tskhinvali, the de facto acting leader of the occupied region, Marat Kambolov, met on September 4 with the visiting St. Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov. They discussed expanding cooperation between the Russian city and the occupied region, including humanitarian projects, education, and healthcare.
The 134th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place on September 8 in the village of Ergneti, near the occupation line in Georgia’s Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region.
During the meeting, Tbilisi again raised the issues of illegal detentions and so-called borderization, as well as the need to hold accountable those responsible for the killing of Georgian citizen Tamaz Ginturi. Representatives of Tskhinvali’s de facto authorities, meanwhile, again called for the removal of the Chorchana/Tsnelisi police checkpoint and raised concerns about the well-being of Tamaz Goloev, a Tskhinvali resident currently in custody in Georgia proper on espionage allegations. More here.
A “roundtable” on national security and public diplomacy was held in Tskhinvali, organized as part of the activities of the public support headquarters for Marat Kambolov, a candidate for “president” of the occupied Tskhinvali region. Participants discussed factors affecting the preservation of statehood, security, and international cooperation in the occupied region. The event concluded with a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the Beslan tragedy.
Konstantin Kochiev, “state advisor” to the leader of the occupied Tskhinvali region, said that the Geneva International Discussions remain an important mechanism for conflict prevention and maintaining stability in the South Caucasus. Local news agency “Res” reports that he made these remarks during a “roundtable” on national security and public diplomacy, organized as part of the activities of the public support headquarters for “presidential” candidate Marat Kambolov.
According to Kochiev, 67 rounds of negotiations have taken place over the years, one of the results of which was the creation of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism. Kochiev also identified the agreement on the non-use of force, border delimitation, and discussions on the refugee issue as priorities for the region. He emphasized the need to preserve the Geneva format as a channel for dialogue and for advancing the interests of the occupied regions—Tskhinvali and Abkhazia, as well as Russia.
Vadim Tedeev, rector of “South Ossetian State University”, stated that the 4th Russian military base, located in the occupied Tskhinvali region, remains one of the key factors in ensuring security and maintaining the balance of power in the South Caucasus. According to a report by the local news agency Res, he made these remarks during a “roundtable” on national security and public diplomacy.
The de facto ministry of internal affairs of the occupied Tskhinvali region reminded residents of the opportunity to obtain a Russian internal passport through a simplified procedure without leaving the region. Local news agency Res reports that the current application process will be available through August 1, 2028. The agency urged citizens not to delay submitting their applications to avoid a potential surge in applications as the program nears its end.
Marat Kambolov, the de facto acting leader of the occupied Tskhinvali region, appointed Ruslan Khabalov, born in 1990, as head of his “administration.” According to a report by the local news agency Res, Khabalov previously served in the region’s security service and held the position of first deputy head of the ‘State Protection Service.’ He holds a Ph.D. in Law and is a graduate of educational institutions of the Russian FSB.
The “security service” of the occupied Tskhinvali region stated that publications have appeared in the media and on social networks which, according to the agency, contain offensive statements and false information directed against it. According to a report by the local news agency Res, the statement specifically mentions a September 7 post by the United Ossetia party, which the agency characterized as an attempt to discredit the authorities and destabilize the socio-political situation.
RFE/RL’s Georgian Service reported that it had been informed of details of the deadly crash of the bus transporting passengers from Tbilisi to Moscow. According to the outlet, the crash, which happened on August 30 near the Russian city of Zheleznovodsk, claimed six lives, while 26 were injured, including nine children. Some 95% of the passengers were “Georgians,” the outlet said, citing a family member of one of the passengers.
Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Alexey Shevtsov said Russia sees “significant potential for cooperation” with countries such as Iran, Mongolia, North Korea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and others. Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum, Russian news agency Interfax cited him as saying that Russia can offer “beneficial models of interregional cooperation,” noting such ties are already in place with China, Belarus and Kazakhstan. He added this should move beyond “simple trade and the exchange of goods toward the creation of joint production chains.”
Tbilisi City Court on September 4 greenlit the extradition of Russian citizen Mikhail Timofeyev, a former aide and political associate of imprisoned ex-Khabarovsk Governor Sergei Furgal, to Russia. Lawyers fear he may face ill-treatment if handed over to Moscow, and the ruling came amid wider concerns that Georgian authorities are resuming extraditions to Russia following a temporary suspension.
The Russian Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Georgia shares information on its Facebook page about a number of educational, cultural, and youth initiatives designed for different groups of Georgian citizens.
In particular, the section shared information about the first All-Russian Georgian Language Dictation to be held in Russia. The organizers are positioning the event as an initiative to preserve the identity of the Georgian diaspora in Russia and to promote the Georgian language and literature. Participants will be able to take the dictation both in person and online.
In addition, the section is providing information about the project “Russia and Georgia: The Poetics of Open Dialogue,” which is taking place at North Caucasus Federal University in Stavropol. The program is designed for students and language teachers from Georgia and includes an educational course for students as well as a professional development program for teachers.
In addition, the Russian representative office is distributing information among Russian-speaking youth in Georgia about the “Dostoevsky. RU” contest, dedicated to the 205th anniversary of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s birth. Participants aged 16 to 25 are invited to submit essays, videos, illustrations, comics, and other creative works. Winners will receive certificates, prizes, and publication of the best works.
Special attention is being paid to youth exchanges. Dmitry Olisov, head of the Russian Interests Section, held a meeting with Georgian participants in the 2026 International Youth Festival. During the conversation, they discussed a trip to Yekaterinburg, the forum’s program, and opportunities to establish professional, educational, and personal contacts with participants from other countries.
Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, declared Moscow’s readiness to support Georgia’s current government, Russian propaganda outlet “Eadaily” reports. He drew attention to statements by leading Georgian politicians that they oppose an escalation in Georgian-Russian relations. Karasin noted that this once again demonstrates Tbilisi’s sensible approach to the most important issues.
“At the same time, the West and Ukraine continue to promote their Russophobia, but they are met with principled resistance in Tbilisi. Here, officials state that not everything that benefits Berlin, London, and Vilnius serves the country’s national interests. We are ready to fully support such trends,” Karasin said. According to him, it appears that the adventurism of the Saakashvili era is a thing of the past.
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“Specifically, monitoring conducted by the Communications Commission covering the period from August 10 through August 12 of this year found that, during the channel’s 9:00 p.m. news broadcasts, news coverage appeared to be based on the broadcaster’s personal attitudes and/or opinions,” the regulator said in a September 10 statement.
According to ComCom, since the broadcaster had not been sanctioned for a similar violation during the previous year, the regulator issued a written warning to the channel.
The decision is the latest enforcement action under controversial 2025 amendments that broadened ComCom’s authority to regulate broadcast content. Opposition-leaning Formula TV and TV Pirveli have each been fined twice under the amended rules, while pro-government POSTV was fined GEL 2,500 [ USD 960] in August over coverage the regulator said contained personal opinions and failed to present facts with due accuracy.
In April, pro-government Imedi TV also received a written warning along with other broadcasters over alleged violations of impartiality requirements, after ComCom said it would take a more proactive approach to enforcement, while criticizing the United Kingdom’s decision to sanction Imedi TV and POSTV over “Russian disinformation.”
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“Since the expanded sanctions list announced by the U.S. State Department includes airlines that currently operate air travel between Georgia and Iran, the Georgian side, as in other cases, will act now as well in full compliance with the international sanctions regime,” GCAA said.
On September 8, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 36 targets, including 27 Iranian airlines, “for supporting Iran’s aviation sector, which the regime uses to move weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo.”
Among the Iranian airlines sanctioned by OFAC are Qeshm Air, Varesh Airlines, Sepehran Airlines, Fly Kish Airlines, Taban Airlines and AVA Airlines, which operate flights to Tbilisi and Batumi, according to RFE/RL’s Georgian Service.
According to RFE/RL, a day after the sanctions were announced, Sepehran Airlines, one of the sanctioned carriers, operated a flight from Tehran to Tbilisi, with the aircraft landing at 11:51 on September 9.
“Georgia actively upholds and ensures compliance with sanctions imposed by our international partners,” the GCAA said in its September 10 statement. “This also applies to the aviation sector.”
The agency said that in the process of admitting foreign airlines to the Georgian aviation market, Georgia is “guided by national legislation, the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and bilateral or multilateral international agreements.”
It noted that while making decisions, Georgia also “takes into account the sanctions mechanisms by the European Union and the United States.”
The GCAA said that to ensure the safety of passengers, the local aviation market, and infrastructure for years, as an additional monitoring mechanism, it has been guided by “the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) and all other sanctions lists administered by OFAC.” Accordingly, it continued, “Georgia has previously restricted the operations of several airlines as well.”
The agency said Georgia “will continue to fully ensure compliance with international requirements and will continue to be guided by these mechanisms.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent, announcing “Operation Economic Outcast,” warned that “any entity that facilitates money laundering or sanctions evasion on behalf of Iran risks being cut off from the U.S. financial system.” The measures also expand “secondary sanctions exposure for those who continue doing business with the Iranian regime and will accelerate the pace of U.S. enforcement.”
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According to the official press release, Kobakhidze headed to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani, and Head of the Government Administration Levan Zhorzholiani.
“It is important for Europe to have its own vision, its own independent policy regarding space issues,” Kobakhidze was quoted in the press release. “Our resources as a small country are limited in this direction, but we are part of the decision-making.”
He also said that Georgia had joined three declarations related to space security at the summit. “We will continue close partnership with our European colleagues on these issues in the future. Georgia will be fully involved in the process of making relevant decisions,” he said.
Kobakhidze also said in his media remarks on September 10 that “it is important for us to hear different views and positions at this summit so that, going forward, the country can formulate the right position on all issues and make the right decisions.”
Both Kobakhidze and Botchorishvili stressed the summit’s importance for high-level bilateral meetings.
The summit brings together decision-makers, professionals, and business representatives from more than 100 countries. Among those addressing the summit were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Macron.
The invitation comes amid the Georgian Dream government’s growing exclusion from major Western gatherings as its relations with the European Union and other traditional Western partners have deteriorated.
More to follow…
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The copy of the case files shared by Razmadze shows the Interior Ministry’s Division for Combating Hate Speech launching administrative proceedings over Razmadze’s comment reading “f**k their moms na koleniakh”. The comment seems to refer to Simonyan’s remarks featured in the reel where she says Georgian rulers will be begging “на коленях” [na koleniakh] — “on their knees” in Russian — for “Mother Russia” to take it back.
Per the files, Razmadze faces proceedings under Article 166-1 of the Administrative Offence Code, which covers “petty hooliganism” – in particular “swearing, harassing citizens in public spaces, and other such acts that disturb public order and/or citizens’ peace,” and is punishable by a fine from GEL 500 to 3,000 or administrative detention of up to 20 days. The Ministry reportedly does not specify in the files who is the alleged target of the offensive comment.
The Ministry “is proceeding against me over insulting and swearing at Russian propagandists Margarita Simonyan and Vladimir Solovyov,” Razmadze said in a video address on September 10.
Following widespread backlash, the Interior Ministry made a statement on September 10 vaguely implying Razmadze is targeted for insulting Kobakhidze. However, citing the court files, Razmadze argues that the official allegations against him only cover “petty hooliganism” and do not include “insulting a public official” under Article 17316 of the Administrative Offences Code, another clause also commonly invoked by the Ministry’s “hate speech” division against citizens.
The reel uploaded by Razmadze in August is an apparent reaction to Irakli Kobakhidze’s August 18 briefing, where the GD Prime Minister defended the decision of Erekle II, the king of the Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, to sign the Treaty of Georgievsk with the Russian Empire in 1783. During the briefing, Kobakhidze called the signing of the treaty the “only correct and unavoidable decision” in light of Georgia’s “national interests” at the time.
(The signing of the Treaty of Georgievsk, which placed the eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti under Russian protection, was followed by the eventual annexation of Russian kingdoms by the Russian Empire, turning it into a subject of fierce historical debate in Georgia.)
In the reel, Razmadze compares Kobakhidze’s remarks with those of Simonyan, stressing similarities between their narratives and warning that the Georgian authorities may be preparing the ground for “some type of cooperation” with Russia.
The reel features a video fragment where Simonyan, hosted by Solovyov, says King Erekle II “begged on his knees to be accepted in Mother Russia,” implying the decision saved Georgians “who were 50,000 at the time,” a claim aligning with Kobakhidze’s own demographic argument.
Simonyan goes on to say that “Mother Russia is taking back what’s its own” and “it’s time for everyone to come home,” before she goes on to say that “the new King Erekles” will “be begging on their knees for Mother Russia to take them home.” (In Russian, Erekle is translated as Irakliy, same as Kobakhidze’s first name.)
The reel then shows a fragment from Kobakhidze’s August 18 briefing defending the signing of the treaty.
In a statement given to media following the widespread backlash over the proceedings against Razmadze, the Interior Ministry said that the staff of the Division for Combating Hate Speech “work on a daily basis to identify violations that include both insulting a specific individual and using insults in public spaces.”
As part of these efforts, “insulting comments by citizen Tornike Razmadze, as well as Ana Bdeiani, who insulted Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on social media, have been identified,” the Ministry notes, with the vague phrasing used in the statement leaving it unclear whether Razmadze, too, is accused of insulting Kobakhidze.
According to the Ministry, the administrative proceedings against the two are underway under articles covering petty hooliganism and insulting a public official. The court documents shared by Razmadze with the media show that he only faces “petty hooliganism” allegations, but not those covering the insult of a public official.
The Interior Ministry’s Division for Combatting Hate Speech, which began operating on June 1, has launched dozens of administrative cases over social media posts and comments, resulting in fines ranging from GEL 1,500 to GEL 6,000, as well as cases of administrative detentions.
The division primarily brings charges under Articles 166 (petty hooliganism) and 17316 (insulting a public official) of Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offenses. The division’s early cases have raised concerns among government critics and opposition figures that people were fined for insulting them without hearing their opinions.
Critics have pointed the Division serves as a tool for the Georgian authorities to target and censor critics.
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]]>According to the September 10 statement, Ioseliani met with representatives of the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and the Office of Foreign Assistance [presumably the current Office of Foreign Assistance Oversight].
The agency said that Ioseliani briefed U.S. officials on key human rights trends in Georgia and outlined recommendations from his office. During the meetings, “particular interest was expressed in freedom of expression, the importance of conducting effective investigations, and the rights of religious and ethnic minorities,” according to the Public Defender Office.
The discussions also addressed the human rights situation of people living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied territories, the Office said.
According to the statement, Ioseliani highlighted “many years of cooperation” between the Georgian ombudsperson’s office and the U.S. institutions. He also “stressed Georgia’s aspiration to continue moving toward strengthening democratic principles” and expressed hope that “close support from the United States will continue in this process in the future as well.”
Ioseliani’s visit comes amid continued uncertainty but more recent efforts to renew contacts between Tbilisi and Washington. The efforts have included a series of meetings between Georgian Dream and U.S. officials, including visits by State Department representatives to Tbilisi, meetings by GD representatives in Washington, and a March phone call between GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The contacts come as Georgian Dream continues to seek a reset of relations “from a clean slate,” while the U.S.-Georgia strategic partnership, suspended by Washington in November 2024, is yet to be restored.
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]]>The statement came after Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing “Georgian public figure” Besik Danelia, that Georgian volunteers, as part of “a humanitarian mission” to the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic,” a self-proclaimed entity in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, handed over motorcycles and prayer rooms to Russian servicemen from the “St Gabriel Urgebadze unit” and the “Nevsky brigade.”
Earlier, in January, a Telegram channel of the “Military Unit of the Moscow Patriarchate” reported forming “a new Orthodox unit named after Gabriel Urgebadze” in the “zone of Special Military Operation”, Moscow’s term for Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, and consisting of ethnic Georgians.
The reports drew condemnation from Andria Jagmaidze, Head of the Georgian Patriarchate’s Public Relations Department.
Georgian Orthodox Church “distances itself from the fact that the name of the Venerable Gabriel, Confessor and Fool-for-Christ, is being used to justify or support military actions,” Jagmaidze was cited by the Church-run newspaper Sapatriarkos Utskebani (Patriarchate Bulletin) on September 9.
Stressing that “Orthodox people are dying on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war,” which the Church watches “with great sorrow,” Jagmaidze raised concerns that the Patriarchate was not consulted about the use of the monk’s name.
“At such a time, without any consultation with the Orthodox Church of Georgia or any regard for its opinion, we suddenly found ourselves faced with an utterly unheard-of fact,” Jagmaidze said.
He continued that it’s “categorically unacceptable” that the name of “the venerable Father Archimandrite Gabriel, Confessor and Fool-for-Christ, be used for a military unit – the holy father’s labors and life were devoted entirely to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and to preaching love and compassion among people.”
Jagmaidze added that it’s also “a source of concern and worry” that some clergy of the Russian Church “support such an unacceptable use of the venerable father’s name.” The authors of this initiative seem to be “poorly acquainted with the life of Saint Gabriel. In this light, such an act is perceived as biased speculation in the name of the Church,” he concluded.
Monk Gabriel is a widely venerated saint among the Georgian Orthodox community. Having passed away in 1995 at the age of 66, he was canonized in 2012, and his grave in Georgia’s ancient capital, Mtskheta, is widely visited by the faithful, who believe it has miraculous powers.
Besik Danelia, whom RIA Novosti cited in its report on the Georgian volunteers, was identified by Georgian media as a member of the United Georgia political party led by Georgia’s former Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze as of 2020. He later appeared in 2025 as a witness before the Georgian Dream parliamentary commission chaired by MP Tea Tsulukiani – so-called Tsulukiani Commission – which has investigated the alleged crimes committed during the former United National Movement (UNM) government, among others.
The reports about the Monk Gabriel-named unit follow earlier reports that former Georgian Prosecutor General Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze is heading a Russian combat unit to fight against Ukraine.
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]]>The statement was delivered on September 8 by Lithuanian diplomat Ausra Semaskieme on behalf of the group during the general debate. Among the countries that joined the statement were Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
“We would like to draw the Council’s attention to further deteriorating human rights situation in Georgia, particularly in light of legislation adopted in recent years that imposes restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, and does not align with international human rights law,” the statement said.
“Since November 2024, peaceful protesters, journalists, media workers, civil society and political opponents have been facing threats, assaults, harassment, fines and the freezing of their bank accounts,” Lithuania said on behalf of the group.
The statement further noted “with concern” that “many protesters and prominent opposition figures” had been convicted and sentenced, including “several in recent months.”
“All those arbitrarily detained must be immediately released,” the group said.
The group expressed regret “that despite repeated appeals from the international community, impartial investigations into allegations of excessive use of force and ill-treatment against demonstrators and detainees have not been fully carried out.”
The statement called on the Georgian authorities “to repeal concerning legislation, conduct impartial investigation into all alleged human rights violations, ensure accountability for those responsible, and engage in meaningful dialogue with civil society and the international community.”
Separate concerns were raised at the HRC session by Michele Cervone d’Urso, the EU’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, who recalled Georgia’s obligation to “uphold fundamental freedoms” and urged the “repeal or substantial revision” of recent legislation that undermines international human rights standards.
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]]>According to the SSSG, the 2026 forum — held from September 8 to 10 — brings together high-ranking officials from more than 100 countries to discuss public security governance “against the backdrop of a turbulent global environment,” and is attended “by heads of security services and law enforcement agencies from various countries.”
The Interior Ministry reported that Kirkitadze participated in “sub-forums covering topics including international cooperation on drug control,” as well as “cooperation in the field of police education.”
Ahead of the forum’s opening, Geladze visited a public security technology exhibition together with China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong. The exhibition, organized by the First Research Institute of China’s Ministry of Public Security, showcased what the SSSG described as “modern security technologies.”
According to China Daily, Beijing’s state-owned newspaper, the forum brings together “law enforcement officials, international organizations, and experts to enhance cooperation in tackling increasingly transnational and technology-driven security threats.”
This year’s forum is being held under the theme “unite to advance public security governance, bring stability to a turbulent world.” Its agenda includes sessions on “migration management, international drug control, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, public security technology and equipment, police education, tourism security, and international security services.”
The forum, initially established in 2015 as the Lianyungang Forum at the initiative of China’s Ministry of Public Security, was renamed as the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang) in 2022. It has since been held annually.
According to the forum’s website, the conference aims to promote “law enforcement and security cooperation for global economic development through innovative thinking and pragmatic measures,” guided by the principle of “Cooperative Security for Common Prosperity.”
Georgian officials’ visit comes less than three months after Georgia and China elevated their bilateral relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” The upgrade, announced in June, followed the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries in 2023.
The deepening Georgia-China relationship has also drawn increased scrutiny in Washington. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill requiring a report on Russian and Chinese influence and intelligence assets in Georgia, alongside a five-year strategy for U.S.-Georgia relations.
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The meeting, which brought together the representatives of Georgia’s central government and de facto authorities of Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, was co-facilitated by Bettina Patricia Boughani, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Christoph Späti, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.
During the meeting, Tbilisi again raised the issues of illegal detentions and so-called borderization, as well as the need to hold accountable those responsible for the killing of Georgian citizen Tamaz Ginturi. Representatives of Tskhinvali’s de facto authorities, meanwhile, again called for the removal of the Chorchana/Tsnelisi police checkpoint and raised concerns about the well-being of Tamaz Goloev, a Tskhinvali resident currently in custody in Georgia proper on espionage allegations.
The next IPRM meeting is set to take place on October 22.
The Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was established in 2009 within the framework of the Geneva International Discussions that followed the 2008 Russo-Georgian war. It serves as a forum for the regular discussion of security-related incidents and developments on the ground. IPRM meetings have been held regularly in Ergneti, near the Tskhinvali occupation line, with the participation of representatives from Tbilisi and the Tskhinvali de facto authorities. In contrast, meetings in Gali, in occupied Abkhazia, have been suspended multiple times, from 2012 to 2016, and again since 2018. The meetings are co-facilitated by the OSCE and the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM).
Georgia’s State Security Service (SSSG) said that participants discussed “all significant” incidents recorded in the occupied Tskhinvali region and areas adjacent to the occupation line since the previous IPRM meeting. The discussions also addressed restrictions on freedom of movement and the operation of the so-called crossing points.
“The representatives of the State Security Service again strictly raised the issue of bringing to justice and ensuring the enforcement of law against the representative(s) of the Russian occupation force responsible for the murder of Georgian citizen Tamaz Ginturi,” the SSSG said.
The Georgian side also condemned the continued process of so-called borderization and highlighted what it described as a “growing trend of fundamental human rights violations” in the occupied Tskhinvali region.
Representatives of the central government also “strictly demanded the immediate release of all individuals in illegal detention,” the SSSG said.
According to the co-facilitators, restrictions on freedom of movement remain in place, although they welcomed the more frequent opening of crossing points.
The co-facilitators “underlined that greater opportunities for cross-ABL [Administrative Boundary Line] movement can improve the daily lives, livelihoods and sense of security of conflict-affected women, men and children, and encouraged further steps towards the full reopening of the crossing points,” the OSCE press release said.
According to the press release, “detention cases remained an important part of the discussions,” noting that the EUMM and OSCE “reiterated their concern over continued detentions and called for a humanitarian approach to resolving all existing cases.”
“All participants reaffirmed the key role of the EUMM-managed Hotline in facilitating the timely exchange of information and contributing to stability along the ABL,” the release said, adding that “the Hotline continued to address a range of practical, security and humanitarian issues, including detentions, “borderisation” and socio-economic issues.”
Following the meeting, Igor Kochiev, representing occupied Tskhinvali, told journalists that the issue of the Georgian police post near the village of Chorchana/Tsnelisi was discussed “quite seriously” during the meeting. Kochiev stressed that “the South Ossetian delegation confirmed that the only possible solution to the issue is the removal of the post and its withdrawal from the territory of the republic.”
Kochiev also raised the case of Tamaz Goloev, a Tskhinvali resident currently in custody in Georgia proper on espionage allegations. According to Kochiev, representatives of international organizations had sought access to Goloev to assess his health and detention conditions but were not permitted to visit him.
“We are told that Goloev is fine, but we do not trust the statements of the Georgian side,” Kochiev said. “International organizations, including the Red Cross, could visit him and check the conditions of his detention, but they are still not being allowed access to Tamaz.”
He said the Tskhinvali side would continue to press for representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), or another international organization, to visit Goloev. “They will, of course, not receive exhaustive explanations, but they will be able to personally verify the state of his health,” Kochiev added.
Kochiev also said the de facto authorities had recorded no crossings of what they consider the de facto republic’s “state border” by Georgian police since the previous IPRM meeting, with what he described as one minor incident involving the EUMM being the only exception.
He further claimed that two violations of the airspace claimed by the Tskhinvali authorities had been recorded since the previous IPRM meeting, one involving a quadcopter and another involving an airplane. He also said that five cases of Georgian citizens allegedly crossing into the occupied Tskhinvali region had been recorded since July 23.
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