Justice Ministry: CoE Committee of Ministers reaffirms support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, calls on Russia to fulfill its obligations

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers reviewed the execution of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgments in interstate cases of Georgia v. Russia during its September meeting, the Georgian Ministry of Justice said.

According to the ministry, at Georgia’s initiative and with its active involvement, the Committee once again reaffirmed its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and called on the Russian Federation to: fulfill its international obligations and withdraw its military forces from Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region; end the so-called borderization process and ensure the population’s free and safe movement, access to property, and the right to receive education in the Georgian language in the occupied regions; create conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of internally displaced persons to their homes; and end the practice of killings, abductions, torture, illegal detentions and other serious violations.

“Georgia has already achieved historic victories against Russia in Strasbourg, including in the cases concerning the so-called deportees, the August 2008 war and the ‘ongoing occupation.’ The Georgian authorities are actively working to ensure, through all available legal and diplomatic mechanisms, the full execution of the judgments delivered by the Strasbourg Court and the restoration of justice for those affected,” the Ministry of Justice said.