As far as the Democracy Research Institute is informed, on October 8, 2021, a resident of the mountainous village of Midelaani of Akhalgori municipality was detained for 48 hours without any grounds. His house was searched by the so-called South Ossetian KGB, ostensibly to seize weapons and drugs.

The detainee lives alone and is engaged in farming. His family is currently in the Tbilisi-controlled area. Locals learnt about his arrest by chance, after the detainee's cattle had been unattended for two days.

About 20 people live in the village of Midelaani. There is a Russian military base near the village. The Democracy Research Institute considers that the search of the house and the temporary detention of the above person indicate the intensification of Russia's repressive policy, the ultimate goal of which is to intimidate locals and make them abandon the villages of Akhalgori municipality. The de facto South Ossetian authorities try to intimidate and subjugate the local population through arrests and illegal actions.