UN Human Rights Council adopts consensus resolution on Georgia’s Russian-occupied territories

The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday adopted a resolution titled “Cooperation with Georgia” by consensus, marking unprecedented support for Georgia’s sovereignty and condemning human rights violations in the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry noted that the resolution’s adoption by consensus marked an unprecedented show of support for Georgia.

“It is noteworthy that the resolution, which Georgia has been submitting since 2017 and which focuses on the human rights situation in the Russian-occupied territories of Georgia, was adopted by consensus for the first time”, the Ministry said.

The resolution was presented at the Council session by Lasha Darsalia, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry further said that the document expressed serious concern over ongoing human rights violations and discrimination against ethnic Georgians in the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.

“In the document, the Human Rights Council once again reaffirms its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The resolution expresses serious concern over various forms of discrimination and human rights violations committed against the ethnic Georgian population in the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia)”, the statement said.

The resolution underscored the importance of the Geneva International Discussions, launched on the basis of the 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement.

The Council further expressed concern that international and regional human rights monitoring mechanisms remain barred from accessing the Russian-occupied territories and called for their immediate and unrestricted access.

“As in previous years, the document again includes references to Russia’s occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, as well as to the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights from 2021–2024. The Council also expresses concern that international and regional human rights monitoring mechanisms are still denied access to the occupied territories. In this regard, the Council calls for immediate and unrestricted access for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international and regional human rights mechanisms to the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia)”, the statement concluded.