A Georgian citizen died in detention in Abkhazia in the eastern district of Gali after he was arrested for "illegally crossing the border", the Georgian State Security Service reported on 13 March, citing the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM). According to Abkhaz officials, 29-year-old Irakli Kvaratskhelia hanged himself in a Russian border security facility, where he was brought for the collection of documents.
Georgian officials said that Kvaratskhelia may have been beaten in the detention center. The "Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau" of Georgia found no evidence of such violence after examining his body. An expert from this organization, Irakli Toidze, spoke of injuries to the neck of the Georgian prisoner. He said that laboratory tests will determine if the injuries to his neck may have occurred after death.
The Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Rights, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, told the media that although she had not received any information about the true causes of Kvaratskhelia's death, it was "unfortunate that Irakli Kvaratskhelia had died in illegal detention".
The US ambassador to Georgia, Ross Wilson, called the case a gross violation of human rights. In his view, the behavior of Russia and the occupation authorities aims to undermine and weaken Georgia, which is unacceptable. He called to investigate the details of the case.
Sergi Kapanadze, member of the opposition party "European Georgia", called for putting those responsible on the "Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili" sanctions list .
The Georgian government published the so-called Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili list in June 2018, it carries the names of 33 people who allegedly violated the rights of Georgian citizens in the occupied territories in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia).
There are regular arrests of Georgian nationals "for illegal border crossing" at the border with the Georgian territories controlled by Russia. According to the Georgian State Security Service, in 2018 a total of 117 persons were detained by the Russian troops on the same charges, 95 in Tskhinvali and 25 in Abkhazia. Generally, the detainees are released after paying a fine.
