A/HRC/45/54
present report. Procedures were also ongoing regarding almost 600 individual applications
related to the conflict, against Georgia, against the Russian Federation, and against both
States. In parallel, consideration was continuing with respect to inter-State application No.
39611/18, which the Government of Georgia lodged in August 2018 concerning the alleged
deterioration of the human rights situation along the Administrative Boundary Lines
between Tbilisi-controlled territory and Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 42
10.
Missing persons
69.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported on progress under its
coordination mechanisms established to clarify the fate of persons missing in relation to the
armed conflicts of the 1990s and 2008 and their aftermath. According to ICRC, as of June
2020, more than 2,300 persons remained unaccounted for, including 2,200 in connection
with the armed conflict in Abkhazia in the 1990s.
70.
On 24 October 2019, the Government of Georgia established an inter-agency
commission to coordinate the search for and transfer of the remains of persons missing as a
result of armed conflicts, as well as support for their families. The commission held its first
meeting in February 2020.43
11.
Geneva International Discussions
71.
During the reporting period, the forty-ninth and fiftieth rounds of the Geneva
International Discussions took place, in October and December 2019 respectively. The
fifty-first round, planned for 31 March and 1 April 2020, was postponed due to COVID19.44
72.
OHCHR regrets the suspension of the Gali and Ergneti Incident Prevention and
Response Mechanisms, which offered a platform for joint discussions of various issues,
incidents and individual cases. While the ninety-fourth and ninety-fifth mechanism
meetings took place in Ergneti in July and August 2019, the Gali mechanism has remained
suspended since June 2018.
C.
Situation of internally displaced persons and refugees
73.
Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 73/298, the Secretary-General submitted
his annual report to the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session, on the status of
internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali
region/South Ossetia, Georgia (A/74/878), covering the period from 1 April 2019 to 31
March 2020. The information contained therein was still relevant at the time of finalization
of the present report.
V. Conclusions and recommendations
74.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights appreciates the
continuous cooperation between the Government of Georgia and OHCHR, and
welcomes the Government’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human
rights. The High Commissioner commends the efforts made by Georgia in the fight
against COVID-19 and the attention paid to human rights protection during the state
of emergency. OHCHR remains committed to supporting the Government and other
national stakeholders to further the promotion and protection of human rights in
Georgia.
42
43
44
See www.echr.coe.int/Documents/CP_Georgia_ENG.pdf.
See https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/4687847.
See the press communiqué of the co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions, 16 March 2020,
available at https://dppa.un.org/en/press-statement-co-chairs-of-geneva-international-discussions.
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