On 6 May, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted its 13th decision concerning the conflict in Georgia, once again expressing its “unequivocal support” for Georgia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. As with previous decisions, the document strongly condemns Russia’s actions in Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, and calls on Moscow to cease the process of borderisation.

More than 17 years after the August 2008 war, the Committee assesses that Russia continues to “impede h. e peaceful conflict resolution process”. The document refers to Russia’s millitary “illegalmilitary presence”, “increased military exercises and infrastructure reinforcements”, as well as the installation of barbed wire and fences in the vicinity of Chorchana/Tsnelisi. It also strongly condemns all steps aimed at the “ de facto annexation of Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions”.

The specific reference to the Chorchana/Tsnelisi issue in the Committee of Ministers’ decision is particularly noteworthy in the context of the investigation launched in Georgia by “Georgian Dream” against former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. The case concerns the establishment of a Georgian police checkpoint near Chorchana in 2019, which at the time provoked a strong reaction from the Russian occupation forces and the de facto authorities in Tskhinvali. Nevertheless, in its decision, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers assesses as problematic precisely Russia’s installation of fences and strengthening of occupation infrastructure in the Chorchana/Tsnelisi area, rather than Georgia’s adoption of security measures on its own territory.

The Committee also drew attention to 2025 decision of Russia to grant of Russian citizenship to residents of the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali through a simplified procedure. The document states that all such actions aimed at altering the status of Georgia’s regions “ have no legal effect and further aggravatethe situation on the ground”.

Particularly noteworthy in the document is the obstruction of the activities of international organisations and efforts aimed at restoring trust. The Committee called on Russia to cease the “illegal process” and to fulfil the obligations undertaken under the 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement reached through EU mediation, including the withdrawal of forces from Abkhazia and South Ossetia and ensuring access for international security mechanisms on the ground.

The document welcomes a number of judgments by the European Court of Human Rights, which established Russia’s responsibility as the state exercising effective control over the occupied regions. Among the violations cited are the killing, torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detentionof Georgian civilians and military personnel, the looting and burning of Georgian homes; the inhuman treatment of Georgians targeted as an ethnic group; the deprivation of the right of IDPs and refugees to return to their homes.

The document also addresses the restrictions imposed on the so-called “crossing points” in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, noting that the human rights situation in both regions has further deteriorated as a result of such actions.

The Committee expressed concern over the impunity in the cases involving the killings of ethnic Georgians - David Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria, Archil Tatunashvili, Tamaz Ginturi and Vitali (Temur) Karbaia.

Particular attention is devoted to discrimination against ethnic Georgians, especially in the Gali and Akhalgori districts. The document notes restrictions on the rights to freedom of movement, housing, employment and property, forced registration as citizens of a foreign state, demands to change surnames and ethnic identity, restrictions on receiving education in the Georgian language, and impediments to access to religious sites, cemeteries and agricultural land.

The Committee also expressed concern over the decision of the de facto parliament of Abkhazia to restrict inheritance rights for individuals who fought against the self-proclaimed independence of Abkhazia during the 1992–1993 war. The document separately highlights cases involving the destruction of the homes of Georgian internally displaced persons in the Tskhinvali region.

The document also refers to the “obliteration and alteration of Georgian features from the Georgian cultural heritage monuments”, as well as the continued restriction of the right of internally displaced persons and refugees to a safe, voluntary and dignified return, and the arbitrary detention of local residents along the occupation line.

The Committee of Ministers placed particular emphasis on the cases of the unlawful detention of Georgian citizens Kristine Takalandze and Giorgi Mosiashvili, and Irakli Bebua. It is also noted that, in a number of cases, including that of Gennadi Bestaev, detention resulted in death.

The Committee once again reaffirmed its support for Georgia’s peace initiatives and underscored the necessity of the immediate and unconditional resumption of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meetings in Gali. The format has been suspended since 2018.

Among other recommendations, the Committee called on Russia to:

• to create conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of all IDPs andrefugees;
• to cease any form of ethnic discrimination towards the residents of the Georgian regions;
• to remove any obstacles to ending impunityin cases concerning the murder of ethnic Georgians and to bringing the perpetrators to justice;
• to immediately cease policies leading to human rights violations;
• to remove any impediment, restriction or limitation to the right to freedom of movement;
• to cease arbitrary detentions of persons, including in the context of so-called “illegal border crossings”
• to re-open “crossing points”;
• to immediately release Kristine Takalandze, Shalva Khizanishvili and all other illegal detainees;
• to cease violations of the right to education in schools and preschools, including education in the native Georgian language, in both Georgian regions;
• to prevent further deterioration of monuments belonging to the cultural heritage throughout Georgia’s regions;

In conclusion, the Committee of Ministers called on Russia to grant the bodies of the Council of Europe immediate and unrestricted access to occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia, to comply with the judgments of the European Court, and to cooperate with the International Criminal Court.