Georgian civilians living around the occupation line, or “Administrative Boundary Line” (ABL) as it is known by international mediators, frequently experience arrests, abduction and detention by Russian or South Ossetian “border guards” for alleged violation and trespassing of the “border”.
This is the archived 2024 page, click here for the current running year. Other archived years can be found in the left sidebar.
2024
30 December 2024
The de facto South Ossetian authorities claimed on 30 December 2024 they foiled a plot by “a group citizens of Russia and South Ossetia” to smuggle a Russian deserter from the “from the special military operation zone” [Ukraine] via South Ossetian territory to Georgian controlled territory. The group allegedly assisted Vladimir Mamardashvili (born in 1999), seemingly of Georgian origin, in his arrival in South Ossetia and his “temporary secret placement in one of the private hotels in Tskhinvali”, with “fictitious registration”.
He was allegedly brought on 24 December 2024 to the occupation line with the purpose to be transferred to centrally controlled Georgian territory. According to the South Ossetian KGB, “immediately near the border, Mamardashvili was awaited by the Georgian citizens Alexei Mamulia, born in 1972, and Vano Japiashvili, born in 1974”. To pick up Mamardashvili, they “illegally crossed into the territory of South Ossetia from Georgia and planned to return back along the same route together with the deserting serviceman”, the KGB stated.
The two Georgians were detained by the “border authorities” on the spot while “committing the crime”. They were charged with “illegal crossing of the State border by a group of persons by prior conspiracy” and were imprisoned “for the duration of the preliminary investigation”. Mamardashvili was said to be handed over to the Russian authorities. The Georgian authorities did not respond to the South Ossetian statement and allegations, nor did they confirm the identity of the two people it reported in 26 December 2024 to have been detained. According to reporting by Radio Tavisupleba Japiashvili comes from Pkhvenisi village, south of Kvemo Nikozi.
Davit Katsarava, leader of anti-occupation movement “Strength is in Unity”, said on 5 January 2025, the two detained Georgians are employees of the Gori military hospital. Mamulia and Japiashvili were released on 22 January 2025 (see above).
26 December 2024
According to the Georgian State Security Service, two Georgian citizens were detained by Russian controlled forces near Zemo Nikozi (Gori municipality) near the occupation line of South Ossetia and close to Tskhinvali. No further details were released. At the moment of writing there were eleven Georgians in occupation detention. On 30 December 2024 it appeared the two were involved in alleged smuggling of a Russian deserter to Georgian controlled territory (see above).
12 November 2024
Just a week after the release of two Georgian citizens by the South Ossetian occupation authorities, two others were detained on 12 November 2024 near Tsnelisi by Russian controlled forces in occupied South Ossetia. No further details were available. At the moment of writing there were nine Georgians in occupation detention.
5 November 2024
Two Georgian citizens who were detained in Tskhinvali earlier in 2024 by Russian occupation forces were released. Khajarat Akhvlediani was illegally detained on 28 February 2024 near the village Takhtisdziri (Kareli municipality). Giorgi Romelashvili was illegally detained on 8 June 2024 near Tskhinvali (see below for both). According to the Georgian authorities, the release of both was secured through active use of the hot line, EUMM mediation and the IPRM dialogue. According to the KGB of South Ossetia both detainees fulfilled their sentences by 5 November 2024, which was the reason to release and hand them over to the central government of Georgia.
15 October 2024
A Georgian citizen, Pridon Pikauri, who was detained on 19 September 2024 by Russian controlled forces near Zemo Artsevi in occupied South Ossetia (see below), was released and handed over to Georgian authorities.
4 October 2024
Georgian citizen Ramaz Begeluri, a 40 year old resident from Gugutiantkari (Gori municipality), was released by South Ossetian authorities from Tskhinvali prison, where he was imprisoned since 29 April 2024. He was handed over to Georgian authorities. Begeluri was kidnapped near occupied Disevi, not far from Gugutiantkari (see below at 29 April). His mother said her son was at the village cemetery to clean his brother’s grave after which he vanished. His health condition worsened after previous arrests by occupation forces, when he was repeatedly beaten.
3 October 2024
Two Georgian citizens, detained on 16 September by Russian controlled occupation forces near Mejvriskhevi, face up to 5 years imprisonment by the Tskhinvali court of South Ossetia. The charge was “attempting to demolish a border sign”. According to the occupation forces, Sergo Merabishvili and Iason Gengiuri got drunk and tried to remove the sign placed on the occupation line in the vicinity of the village Mejvriskhevi in the Gori municipality, while video taping themselves.
30 September 2024
A Georgian citizen who was detained on 22 April 2024 by Russian controlled forces near Dirbi in occupied South Ossetia, was released and handed over to Georgian authorities. Two others who were detained at the same time, were released earlier.
24 September 2024
A Georgian citizen was detained on 24 September 2024 by Russian controlled forces near (Zemo) Artsevi in occupied South Ossetia. No further details were available. It has been the third abduction in a week time. At the moment of reporting, twelve Georgian citizens were in detention in Tskhinvali.
19 September 2024
A Georgian citizen was detained on 19 September 2024 by Russian controlled forces near Zemo Artsevi in occupied South Ossetia. No further details were available.
17 September 2024
Two Georgian citizen were detained on 17 September 2024 by Russian controlled forces near the Mejvriskhevi (Gori municipality) near the occupation line of South Ossetia. No further details were available.
13 September 2024
Two Georgian citizens were released from South Ossetian imprisonment and were transferred to Georgian authorities at the Ergneti transfer point. Lasha Khetereli (born 1998), was originally kidnapped on 3 July 2023 near the village of Gugutiantkari (Gori municipality), and was sentenced to imprisonment for violating the “state border” of South Ossetia. According to the South Ossetian KGB he was released as he served the full sentence. His release was announced at the IPRM meeting in Ergneti on 12 September 2024. Ucha Jokhadze, who was illegally detained near Tsilubani village of Gori on 10 September 2024, was also detained for “illegally crossing the state border of South Ossetia”. According to his testimony in the occupation court he was lost and accidentally crossed the border near the occupied village Amdzarin. He was given an administrative fine and handed over to the Georgian authorities.
31 August 2024
A Georgian girl born in 2006 was detained on 31 August 2024 by Russian controlled forces near the village Tsinagari (Amdzarin) of Akhalgori municipality in occupied South Ossetia for “illegally crossing the border”. She was transferred to Georgian authorities the next day. No further details were provided, apart from the fact she faced no fines or other punitive measures given her health condition.
21 August 2024
The Georgian State Security Service reported on 21 August 2024 a Georgian citizen was detained by Russian controlled forces near Akhalgori in occupied South Ossetia. No further details were released. The citizen was released on 9 January 2025 (see above).
13 July 2024
A Georgian citizen was detained on 13 July 2024 by Russian controlled occupation forces near the village of Adzvi (Gori Municipality), near the occupation line of South Ossetia. He was released on 16 July 2024 and transferred to Georgian authorities. The South Ossetian KGB said the 59 year old resident of Adzvi “deliberately crossed the border”, for which he was arrested and charged with “illegal border crossing”. On 15 July the Tskhinvali court ruled him guilty of this administrative offence and expelled him with a fine.
1 July 2024
According to the Georgian State Security Service, a Georgian citizen was detained on 1 July 2024 by Russian controlled occupation forces near the village of Balta in occupied South Ossetia. The village is administratively part of the Kareli municipality. No further details were provided by the authorities. According to Radio Tavisupleba (RFE/RL), the person was not a local resident, but visited the area as a guest. The following day he was released, and was handed over to Georgian authorities.
8 June 2024
On 8 June 2024 Russian controlled occupation forces detained a Georgian citizen near the city of Tskhinvali. The Georgian State Security Service did not provide more details nor the identity of the man. According to Radio Tavisupleba, the detainee is not a local, nor a resident of the Shida Kartli region. Allegedly, his parents live abroad and he lives with his brother in Tbilisi. The Georgian authorities investigate his reasons why he went to the area near Tskhinvali.
5 June 2024
According to media reports, a Georgian citizen was sentenced to two years of prison by the so-called district court of Java/Dzau of South Ossetia. The 35 year old man was originally detained in October 2023 (see below) when he was caught fishing for trout behind the occupation line. He is a resident of Perevi (Sachkhere municipality), near the occupation line on the western side of South Ossetia. Giorgi Mosiashvili was charged with “violation of the state border” and poaching.
8 May 2024
The two Georgian citizens who were detained two weeks earlier on 22 April, were released on 8 May 2024 by the South Ossetian de facto authorities and transferred to the Georgian authorities. It appeared a third person was detained at the time, and he remained in South Ossetian captivity. On the same day, the Russian controlled occupation forces detained a Georgian citizen near Akhalubani (Gori municipality), near the occupation line. The shepherd was released on 14 May 2024 and transferred to the Georgian authorities at the Ergneti transfer point. He herded his cattle on the village pasture. Another person who was with noted there was an ambush of the occupation forces in the bushes in Georgian controlled territory.
29 April 2024
On 29 April 2024 Russian controlled occupation forces detained a Georgian citizen near the occupied village of Disevi. He is a local resident of nearby Gugutiantkari (Gori municipality).
22 April 2024
Russian controlled occupation forces detained two Georgian citizens near Dirbi (Kareli municipality) on 22 April 2024.
15 April 2024
On 15 April 2024 Russian controlled occupation forces arrested three Georgian citizens near Otrevi and Artsevi of Gori municipality. The South Ossetian de facto authorities claimed that the three men “while intoxicated, illegally crossed into the territory of South Ossetia and deliberately set fire to dead wood, hoping that the fire would spread along the border”. They allegedly recorded their action on a mobile phone camera. The South Ossetian KGB said they believe the goal of the provocateurs was to “create preconditions for their detention for violating the border legislation of the Republic of South Ossetia and to create a source of instability on the state border against the backdrop of the bill ‘On Transparency of Foreign Influence’ being considered in the Georgian parliament.”
14 March 2024
Two Georgian citizens who were detained by occupation forces on 24 November 2023 were released on 14 March 2024. The two men, born in 1988 and 1994, were charged by the occupation powers in South Ossetia for “Illegal crossing of the state border” and were sentenced on 13 February 2024 to six months detention.
28 February 2024
Russian controlled occupation forces detained a Georgian citizen near Takhtisdziri (Kareli municipality) on 28 February 2024. According to Radio Tavisupleba it concerns not a local citizen, but someone from the west of Georgia.
16 February 2024
Two Georgian citizens were detained on 15 February 2024 by occupation forces near Knolevi (Kareli municipality). The area is known for its borderization and encroachment on farmland belonging to local villagers. Over the years the occupation forces have prevented access of the villages to their pastures. They were released on 9 January 2025 (see above).
15 January 2024
A Georgian citizen, born in 1967, was detained by occupation forces near Akhmaji (Akhalgori municipality) on 15 January 2024. According to Radio Tavisupleba the detained was not a local resident, but came from Tbilisi. He was released on 1 April 2024 and transferred to Georgian authorities, the Georgian State Security Service stated in a press release. According to the South Ossetian KGB he “deliberately crossed the border to go fishing in the area”. On 27 February 2024 he was found guilty by the so called court of Akhalgori of the charge of “illegal crossing of the state border”.