Jul 20, 2004

Abkhazia: The International Criminal Court looks at Georgian "Genocide"


International Prosecutors Office raises a criminal case on the genocide of Georgians in Abkhazia according to Georgian media
Untitled Document

Georgian media has announced that court officials in The Hague have recommended that the International Prosecutors Office raises a criminal case on the genocide of Georgians in Abkhazia and crimes against humanity.
According to Rustavi-2, the decision was taken on the basis of materials provided by Paata Davitaia, the former Minister of Justice of Abkhazia, as well as oral testimonies.
Davitaia asked court in March of 2003 to raise the case in compliance to the Rome Statute. Davitaia says that Russia may also be held responsible.
"The chief prosecutor will be able to address the Security Council of UN to accept facts of ethnic cleansing and genocide. If it will emerge that other states are involved, the issue of the their responsibility will be raised. We know that one such country is Russia and the issue will be raised regarding stripping Russia of its mandate as peacekeepers," the former Minister of Justice of Abkhazia told reporters over the weekend.

Source: The Messenger