The EU Monitoring Mission responds to the detention of its observers by the Tskhinvali occupation regime.

The statement notes that unarmed civilian Monitors of the EU Monitoring Mission-Georgia were detained by so-called South Ossetian security personnel on October 24.

“On the afternoon of 24 October, a patrol of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) was briefly held by armed South Ossetian security actors, while conducting a patrol in the Chorchana-Tsnelisi area. The hotline was activated from Tskhinvali shortly after these developments.

The Mission is still looking into the details concerning the incident, which happened in an area understood to be on Tbilisi-Administered Territory in accordance with the traditional interpretation of the Administrative Boundary Line in that area.

Following recent security developments, EUMM has significantly increased its patrolling to support stability in the Chorchana-Tsnelisi area.

The EUMM is deeply concerned about cases in which armed security actors prevent  EUMM Monitors from conducting their daily activities in accordance with the mandate.

The incident will be discussed during the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) technical meeting in Ergneti tomorrow”, – the statement released by EUMM reads.