Temur Tskhoverebov Not to Give In

The health condition of Temur Tskhovrebov, editor, Tskhinvali-based newspaper 21st Century has worsened. He has been re-hospitalized from Tskhinvali to Vladikvakaz to be operated on his hernia. The patient was injured on July 24 as a result of the attack against him. Out of around 10 attackers Tskhovrebov identified three Soth Ossetian MPs. Kazimir Pliev, Dmitri Vaneev and Alan Khasiev are the supporters of S. Ossetia's de facto president Eduard Kokoity. A day ahead of the physical abuse against the newspaper editor the latter was being leveled life threats on the phone by Kazimir Pliev. According to Temur Tskhovrebov the attack against him is related to his participation in the Georgian-Ossetian civil forum and the movement recently launched to found the republic party in Tskhinvali. From his viewpoint the attackers followed the order by Boris Chochiev, a special envoy of de facto republic. Two days ahead of the incident Chochiev declared Tskhovrebov and other Ossetian participants of the forum as traitors. Tskhovrebov said he is not going to give in and is to appeal to any instance to have the offender held responsible. The 21st Century editor has already appealed to the S. Ossetian Parliament to suspend the authority of the MPs having participated in the incident.

Sarmat Farastaev, co-founder of the Georgian-Ossetian civil forum confirms the pressure against dissenters in Tskhinvali. The threats against Tskhovrebov, he said, continued in Tskhinvali hospital too, that was one of the reasons of his re-hospitalization in Vladikavkaz.

In the near future the Georgian-Ossetian civil forum is going to appeal to international organizations over the pressure exerted upon its members and demand further response. According to Zurab Bendianashvili, co-founder of the Georgian-Ossetian forum life in Tskhinvali is dangerous for dissenters since Kokoity's government, for its own interests, will be unmerciful to anyone. Criticism against local authorities for embezzled funds, corruption and failed rehabilitation works was frequently voiced through Tskhovrebov's newspaper, Zurab Bendianashvili said.

In the course of the very first conflict as well as during the August war in 2008 Temur Tskhovrebov fought against Georgian armed forces with a gun in his hand. After the war he was the one having announced of the burning of Georgian books in Tskhinvali which resulted into an upheaval in the Georgian as well as Ossetian media. In the recent period he actively participated in the Georgian-Ossetian civil forum. During the latest meeting the forum worked out an appeal to the Geneva talks' participants on addressing humanitarian issues ahead of political ones. Kokoity's government assessed this step by S. Ossetian participants as a betrayal of Ossetian interests which was followed by the persecution of dissenters.