Ossetian Side Released 7 out of 15 Prisoners

According to the Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Ossetian side has released seven out of recently captured 15 Georgian prisoners. Head of Analytic Department of the Georgian MIA Shota Utiashvili confirmed the information.

Eight citizens of Georgia, among them brothers Shota and Giga Bzarashvilis, 21 and 23, and their uncle Elizbar Bzarashvili, 33, – detained in Dzalisi village in Mtskheta district on August 22, are still in Tskhinvali prison.

On September 2, during the Georgian-Ossetian negotiation the Ossetian side refused to release Bzarashvilis from prison. Shota Utiashvili said Ossetia de-facto law enforcement officers detained them for illegal crossing of border.

Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti got in touch with Bzarashvilis’ mother Lia Khatisashvili who said Ossetian law enforcement bodies intend to judge Bzarashvilis.

“We have talked with the Georgian MIA officers who said the main reason for not releasing my sons is that they had guns with them. Everybody knows that they went hunting. They had three hunting-guns with them. All of them were officially registered and they had permission on hunting too. I do not know what will happen. Today they could not tell me when next meeting with the Ossetian side will be held, if any at all,” said Lia Khatisashvili.

According to the ICMM, the detainees had Russian produced MC semi-automatic firearm which shoots 5 bullets simultaneously. Hunting with this gun in Georgia is allowed.

Brothers Bzarashvilis and their uncle Elizbar Bzarashvili from Dzalisi village in Mtskheta district were detained by Ossetian law enforcement officers for illegal crossing of border on August 22 near Akhalgori district. The young people were hunting near Tsitelubani village in Gori district.

Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti