Shota Mchedlishvili delivered a statement in the frame of the Human Rights Council’s 42nd Session
23.09.2019 Geneva - Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Shota Mchedlishvili delivered a statement in the frame of the Human Rights Council’s 42nd Session:
“My delegation wishes to exercise the right of reply to the right of reply/Statement made by the Russian Federation during the General Debate under agenda item 8.
Let me emphasize following points:
First -Russia committed military aggression against Georgia and it continues to occupy 20 percent of Georgia’s sovereign territory. All those violations are duly reflected in the findings of the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia.
Second - One cannot underestimate dire human rights situation in both occupied regions. We remind our colleagues of recent murder cases of 4 Georgian citizens, which show complete disregard by the occupation regime of even minimal safeguards for the lives of population of the occupied regions. The perpetrators of these crimes are still at large and unpunished.
Let us draw the Council’s attention that scenario of the occupation of Crimea and further attempts of its legitimization, are painfully similar to those that have been executed in case of Georgia’s both occupied regions.
To sum up, the illegal military presence of Russia and its effective control of the occupied territories of Georgia and occupation of Ukrainian territories make the Russian Federation an occupying Power, which bears responsibility for the situation therein.” – Shota Mchedlishvili
