The Europe-Georgia Institute Statement regarding the situation in Gugutiantkari
- Following Russia’s aggression against Georgia in 2008 and violating the Medvedev-Sarkozy ceasefire agreement Russian occupational forces continue the “creeping occupation” of Georgian sovereign territory, violating basic human rights of civilian population and contributing to further escalation of the conflict.
- The occupational activities of Russian-backed regime not only violate the basic human rights of civilians, as well as the UN GA Resolution on the Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia, but also aims to squeeze out ethnically Georgian population from Russian controlled territory. Russian-backed regime is involved in an extreme form of massive violation of human rights and, in particular, the right of ethnic Georgians to exist on the land of their ancestors.
- The erection of new artificial barriers deeper in Georgian sovereign territory, the village of Gugutiantkari, is an outrageous attempt to undermine the ceasefire agreement and increase volatility and further escalation of the conflict
We call upon our partners and allies to increase diplomatic and political pressure to assure Russia to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, per its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement.