By KUNA,
Paris : Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, affirmed here Monday that he sensed during his recent mission to the areas affected by the South Ossetian conflict that among the most “pressing” human rights concerns pertaining to the conflict was the return from both sides of the persons detained.
The Commissioner had visited on Sunday the town of Tskhinvali and neighboring Ossetian and Georgian villages that have suffered from the clashes. The Council of Europe indicated in a statement that the Commissioner observed that “among the most pressing human rights concerns pertaining to the conflict was the return from both sides of the persons detained.” It added that Hammarberg raised this issue with the de facto South Ossetian authorities and the Georgian authorities and managed to convince them to liberate a number of detained persons.
According to the Council of Europe, an exchange of 17 detainees took place late in the evening at the checkpoint of Karateli between the Commissioner and the Georgian parliamentarian Givi Targamadze, in the presence of the Georgian Minister of Justice, Nika Gvaramia.
The Ombudsman of Georgia, Mr. Sozar Subari and the Ombudsman of South Ossetia, Mr. David Sanakoev were present. The Commissioner stressed that ” at this difficult time, both sides must be encouraged to respect core human rights principles and humanitarian law.” He affirmed that further exchanges are “necessary.” “Such gestures of good-will by both sides are important humanitarian acts to save lives, to protect human rights of those victimized by the conflict and to start rebuilding mutual confidence between the parties,” he remarked.
The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent, non-judicial institution within the Council of Europe, mandated to promote awareness of, and respect for human rights in the 47 member States of the Organisation. Elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the present Commissioner, Hammarberg, took up his function in April 2006.