19:50, 24 March 2018

Archil Tatunashvili buried in Georgia

Archil Tatunashvili, a citizen of Georgia, who died after being detained in South Ossetia, was buried on Saturday with military honours into the Brotherly Cemetery in Tbilisi.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Tatunashvili died on February 23 in a Tskhinvali hospital, on the following day after his detention by South-Ossetian law enforcers on suspicion of preparing an act of sabotage. Georgia blamed Russia for his death and demanded to give Archil's body out to his relatives. Almost a month later, on March 20, South Ossetia used the Red Cross mission to deliver the body to Georgia. Georgian experts fixed traces of torture on Archil's body, Sozar Subari, the Minister for Displaced Persons' Matters, has stated.

Ordinary citizens, politicians and officials of Georgia came to bid farewell to Archil Tatunashvili. The funeral expenses were born by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Georgia, the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel reports.

The case of Tatunashvili's death is investigated by the Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) under the articles of wilful murder and illegal deprivation of liberty.

Archil Tatunashvili sold vegetables and was detained in South Ossetia after refusing to pay "ransom" for the right to trade, residents of the Akhalgori District assert.

On March 21, Georgian MPs demanded from the authorities to impose sanctions on those accused and convicted for crimes against Georgian citizens in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Galina Gotua

Source: CK correspondent