On 20 December, the famous Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili was sentenced by the  separatist Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) authorities to one year and nine-months to prison under article 322 of the criminal code of Russia (illegally crossing the border). 

The Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani condemned this decision and called Gaprindashivili’s detention an act of “deliberate provocation.” “We have activated all the levers available and got all the international structures involved for the release of the doctor from illegal detention. The recent decision to send the doctor to almost two years in prison once again confirms that the adduction was a deliberate provocation. I will have immediate communication with co-chairs of Geneva International Discussions to activate the action plan we had in such a case. What happens in terms of the doctor is absolutely unacceptable and fundamental violation of international norms and regulations,” he said.  

The Georgian State Security Service said the “[i]llegal detention of Vazha Gaprindashvili represents the part of the illegal policy, for which the occupation regime is responsible. The mentioned decision demonstrates once again fundamental human rights violations in the occupied region and grave security situation on the ground,” read the statement.

The Chairman of Georgian Lawyers’ Association Davit Asatiani said that Gaprindashvili’s family will keep on struggling in order to release him. According to Asatiani, Gaprindashvili’s family members met with the Prime Minister and certain activities were planned during the meeting, including working with international partners and diplomatic channels to end the doctor’s illegal imprisonment.

The international community promptly reacted to the decision of the de facto Tskhinvali authorities. The EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) expressed their concern regarding the decision. The Department of External Action of the European Union demanded the immediate release of the doctor. 

The US embassy responded similarly as the EU to the news. “The government of the United States does not recognize… the de facto authorities in the occupied region of South Ossetia [as legitimate], nor does it recognize as legitimate today’s sentencing of Dr. Vazha Gaprindashivili. We again call on the de facto authorities, and those in the Russian Federation who have an influence on them, to allow for the immediate release of Dr. Gaprindashvili. The United States sees this unfortunate case as a symptom of the much bigger problem of occupation and aggression. We note that this case has developed in the context of other detentions, of a worsening humanitarian situation that endangers lives when people cannot receive appropriate medical care, and of a worsening situation along the administrative boundary line (ABL) which unnecessarily affects the lives and livelihoods of people on both sides of the ABL,” read the statement.

The British and Norwegian embassies also released similar statements.

On 9 November, the famous Georgian doctor and traumatologist Vazha Gaprindashvili and three further Georgian citizens were detained by the separatist forces of Tskhinvali. The so-called security committee of Georgia's Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region said that Gaprindashvili “actively participated in the Russia-Georgia 2008 war as the captain of the military medical service of the Georgian Armed Forces” and thus scheduled a trial for Gaprindashvili instead of returning him to the Georgian authorities (Caucasus Watch reported).