OSCE Chairmanship raises concern over Khurcha case

VIENNA, 6 June 2017 - Reacting to the decision of the Abkhaz “military prosecutor’s office” to quit criminal prosecution in the case of the murder of Georgian citizen Giga Otkhozoria on 19 May 2016, announced at the 46^th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali on 31 May 2017, a spokesperson of the OSCE Chairmanship said today:

“This decision contradicts the constructive spirit displayed at the Gali IPRM as well as at the Geneva International Discussions. Since the resumption of meetings of the Gali IPRM in May 2016, the sides have been working intensively on that case, including through exchange of investigation materials. The announcement of a decision not to prosecute this case further is a great disappointment. We call on all participants of the Geneva International Discussions to engage professionally and constructively in order to enhance stability and to promote confidence and peace building to the benefit of the local population.”

The spokesperson emphasized the importance of the IPRM as a status neutral mechanism, where the sides can exchange information and follow-up on concrete incidents, thus improving the daily life of the affected population.