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Article 42 of the Constitution to Defend Victims of Occupation at the European Court

April 17, 2014
 
Nino Devidze

On April 16, nongovernmental organization Article 42 of the Constitution held press-conference about problems of the population victimized by borderizatin process in Atotsi village near administrative boarder with South Ossetia and about detention of TV3 journalists. 

In February 2014 Russian soldiers set up wire-fences in Atotsi village, Kareli district. As a result, locals lost access to their agricultural plots, which are now on the Russia controlled territory.

Board chairperson at the Article 42 of the Constitution Maka Gioshvili said big part of population cannot cultivate their agricultural plots, which are now located on the other side of the fence. “There is real threat of kidnapping people, that is frequent problem in the conflict-affected area. Plots were main source of income for local inhabitants and now their social conditions further aggravated.”

The NGO intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights to protect rights of the victimized population.

“Article 42 intends to send application to the European Court of Human Rights against Russian Federation in the name of nine victims from Atotsi village. We will try to convince the Court that Russian Federation is responsible for the violation of property rights, for the illegal restriction of freedom, right to free expression and for the disrespect of the residential place,” Maka Gioshvili said.

Representatives of the Article 42 also responded to the illegal restriction of freedom of the journalist Bela Zakaidze, cameraman Vakho Lekiashvili and technician Mikheil Mikhoev of TV3.   

“Article 42 of the Constitution is deeply concerned about detention of the TV3’s journalists. We offer our legal service to the TV-company representatives and are ready to use maximum of our knowledge and expertise to achieve positive result. In addition to that, we call on the Government of Georgia to use all necessary measures for immediate release of those people. Since Georgian authority cannot control the territory, Russian soldiers illegally restricted freedom of those people and relevant sanctions shall be imposed on the Russian Federation,” Tamar Gabisonia, executive director of the Article 42 of the Constitution, said at the press-conference. 

Journalist Bela Zakaidze, cameraman Vakho Lekiashvili and technician Mikheil Mikhoev of the TV-company TV3 were arrested by Russian soldiers in Adzvi village on April 15. Later, they were taken to Tskhinvali pretrial detention setting. On April 16, journalists were released. 

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