Chair of Gov’t of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia: Georgia to highlight human rights abuses, language ban at Geneva Talks

Giorgi Jincharadze, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, on Monday said Georgia would use the 64th round of international negotiations in Geneva to raise urgent humanitarian and human rights concerns affecting its population in and around the occupied regions.

Speaking ahead of the talks, Jincharadze emphasised that the Georgian delegation will focus on several key issues, including the systematic illegal detention of Georgian citizens, the ongoing prohibition of education in the Georgian language in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions and the right of internally displaced persons to return to their homes.

“At the current round of international negotiations in Geneva, we will present all the directions and challenges related to our population,” Jincharadze pledged. “These are cases of systematic illegal detentions, to which we will definitely respond appropriately and, together with our international partners, we will demand their unconditional release.”

He stressed that the continued ban on teaching in the Georgian language remained one of the most pressing challenges. “We have very serious problems in this regard, and this format enables us to discuss these issues comprehensively with our international partners,” he added.

The Georgian delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lasha Darsalia, departed for Geneva today. The 64th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) officially opens tomorrow, following preliminary technical meetings.

The Geneva talks, which have been held since the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, remain the only international format bringing together representatives from Tbilisi, Moscow, the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, as well as co-chairs from the EU, OSCE, and the UN. The discussions are aimed at addressing security and humanitarian issues stemming from the conflict and the continued occupation of Georgian territories.