On 11 July, Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze was shot and arrested near the administrative line dividing the separatist Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region from the Georgian-controlled territory, with the de-facto authorities taking the man to detention in the occupied Akhalgori town, reported agenda.ge. 

The de-facto Tskhinvali authorities alleged that Gakheladze crossed the so-called "state border" and opened fire on "border protection staff" after their appearance on the scene. The "committee" said the Georgian citizen had been injured in return fire from the "border" patrols. Afterwards, Gakheladze was moved to Akhalgori, with the de-facto authorities telling the family he was being treated and in "stable condition.” Relatives of Gakheladze said that he had been gathering mushrooms near the occupation line when he was arrested and taken to Akhalgori.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the “injuring and unlawful arrest” of the 33-year old Gakheladze, saying that the incident represented an example of a "flagrant violation" of the 2008 ceasefire deal between Russia and Georgia that followed the five-day armed conflict centred around the Tskhinvali region. This event also goes against calls by the United Nations Secretary General for a global ceasefire because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement also demanded the immediate return of Gakheladze to the Georgian side and urged Russia to ensure unlimited access to international humanitarian and human rights organisations to the occupied territories. Georgia’s Acting Minister of Reconciliation and Civic Equality Lia Gigauri told local media that Gakheladze’s life was not under threat following the shooting. She also said her ministry was "using all means" to ensure the Georgian citizen was freed by the de-facto authorities.

The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) confirmed the "extensive use" of the mission's hotline regarding the detention and alleged shooting of Gakheladze. The mission’s statement said the mission had been involved in an exchange of information on the incident and was following up on subsequent developments. The Head of EUMM Marek Szczygieł recalled the importance of a swift resumption of the Ergneti Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) as the appropriate forum for regular dialogue and confidence-building.

Both the US and UNDP representations to Georgia stated that they were “concerned and alarmed” by the incident. “We condemn this shooting and detention – another escalation in a series of provocative actions taken by Russian-led forces in recent weeks. Such a dangerous and unwarranted incident would not have occurred if Russia had fulfilled its commitments under the 2008 ceasefire agreement, including withdrawing its forces to pre-conflict positions and allowing unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance,” said the US Embassy. The Head of UNDP Georgia Louisa Vinton said that ‘unfortunately, such incidents have increased over the past several months,’ expressing hope that the incidents will be investigated shortly.