Georgian Football Federation responds to the detention of Tbilisi-based doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili by the Occupation Regime and hopes he will return to his family as soon as possible.

‘Georgian Football Federation supports the president of Georgian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Vazha Gaprindashvili who is detained by Russian Occupation Forces.  He has contributed greatly to the development of Sports Traumatology in our country.

Vazha Gaphrindashvili has one of the Humane Professions. During his career he halped the bulk of people including footballers to recover.

We hope he will return to his family as soon as possible and continue his career, ‘- the official statement reads.

The United States Embassy to Georgia calls for “the immediate release” of Vazha Gaprindashvili.

The U.S. Embassy Statement on Detention of Dr. Vazha Gaprindashvili https://t.co/tcfA6VA0UG

— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) 16 November 2019

The President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili calls on the international community ‘to react with all possible means’ to the detention of a Georgian doctor and traumatologist Vazha Gaprindashvili.

I call on the international community to react with all possible means to the detention of well-known traumatologist Dr. Vazha Gaprindashvili in the occupied Tskhinvali region. Such acts go against all international humanitarian rules and create grounds for additional escalation.

— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) 15 November 2019

Tbilisi-based doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who was illegally detained by Russian occupation forces near the occupation line with Akhalgori Municipality, has been sent to two-month pretrial detention, – State Security Service confirmed the information.

The decision was made by the Occupation Regime on November 15. Vazha Gaprindashvili was reportedly charged with “illegally crossing the border” under article 322 of the criminal code of Russia.

Tbilisi activated the hotline mechanism of EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM).