Journalists and Representatives of Red Cross Visit Detained Georgian Juveniles

Representatives of the Red Cross International Committee and journalists have visited detained Georgian juveniles today, -Res agency informs. According to the agency, the detainees are in a normal state and have no any sign of physical pressure. According to Ossetian journalists, the detainees say they didn’t have grenades and explosive materials. The Ossetian media says the detainees have been informed that ‘illegal crossing of a border is a criminal crime’. The so-called MIA staff of the Tskhinvali mode detained pupils of Tirdznisi secondary school: Giorgi Romelashvili (Born in 1995), Aleko Sabadze (born in 1995), Viktor Buchukuri (born in 1993) and Levan Khmiadashvili (born in 1992) on 4 November. The Georgian MIA informs that the juveniles disappeared from the vicinity of village Tirdznisi, Gori District. The so-called Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tskhinvali alleges the juveniles had 4 hand grenades and explosive materials. The Georgian side appeals to the international organizations to help in the release of the children.

Tbilisi hosts GUAM Parliamentary Assemly session

Tbilisi is hosting a three-day GUAM Parliamentary Assembly with participation of member-states Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova and representatives of Baltic states. The speakers of Georgian and Moldovan Parliaments and the permanent representative of the Azerbaijan`s Milli Mejlis delegation in GUAM opened the fourth parliamentary assembly in the Sheraton Metekhi Palace today. The session was closed for media and its participants adopted a special communiqué, which condemns aggressive activities in international relations and the approval of the results of these kinds of aggressions. The GUAM parliamentary assembly has supported the principle of territorial unity and its importance. The participants of the assembly also agreed on specific activities for the security in the region. The delegations also agreed that the GUAM would form a new committee, which will work on the issues of regional security.

Foreign Ministry addresses int. organizations

Georgian Foreign Ministry calls upon international organizations to intensify their activities for the release of four underaged Georgians, who were arrested by separatists on November 4 and who are still held in Tskhinvali isolator. `We ask and call on all international organizations, who have any kind of tools for influencing the separatists, to intensify their activities in the release of the pupils, to treat the problem with more care and take into consideration what we are dealing with – on the one hand we have teenagers, and on the other – criminal regime,` Nino Kalandze, deputy foreign minister told media today.

Russian journalist moves to Georgia

Oleg Panfilov, director of the Centre for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES) moved to Georgia. Popular Russian journalist says his decision to live in Georgia was motivated by the current political situation in the Russian Federation. `It is impossible to live in the country where the authorities lie to you, where media lies to you and people are afraid of them,` Panfilov said after his arrival. The Russian journalist will have his program on a Caucasian TV channel. It will be an analytical program. He also plans to deliver lectures at the Tbilisi Ilia Chavchavadze University. In the future, Panfilov wants to found a school of journalism together with his Georgian colleagues. To write a book on Georgia-Russia war 2008 is also in the plans of Oleg Panfilov.

Georgian Diaspora rallied in Paris

Georgian Diaspora in France has held a rally in protest to the Russian aggression against Georgia. The rally was held in Paris and local NGOs were also participating in it. The protestors reminded the international society that occupation of independent states and construction of a new Berlin Wall was unacceptable in the 21-st century, when the world was marking the 20-th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

Medvedev signs use of Russian army abroad into law

President Dmitry Medvedev has approved an amended law on defense allowing the use of Russian armed forces abroad, the Kremlin said on Monday. The amended law stipulates that Russian armed forces can be used abroad for: rebuffing armed attacks against Russian military units or other troops stationed outside the Russian territory; rebuffing or preventing armed attacks against foreign countries by proper request; protecting Russian citizens abroad from armed attacks; fighting piracy and ensuring navigation safety. The bill of the amended law was passed by Russia`s lower and upper houses of the parliament, the State Duma and the Federation Council, respectively, on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.

Occupants kidnap another Georgian in Abkhazia

Abkhaz separatists and Russian occupants have kidnapped another Georgian – Jambul Bazaghua was detained and taken to Gali district, as he was waiting for his relatives on the Engury Bridge. The occupants, who were dressed as civilians, seized him 100 KM away from the Russian checkpoint. Reportedly, Badzaghua was taken to Gali administration of the puppet regime.