Tskhinvali-based NGOs Condemn Georgian-Ossetian Forum Activities without Remembering Tskhovrebov being Beaten

Few days off of the beating of Temur Tskhovrebov, editor, Tskhinvali-based newspaper 21st Century the government of de facto Republic of South Ossetia invited Tskhinvali-based NGOs to a round table. According to the Osinform agency the S. Ossetian third sector strictly condemned the Georgian-Ossetian forum activities. According to Kosta Zdugaev, the initiator of the meeting, de facto President's advisor in NGO issues the Ossetian representatives of the forum left S.Ossetia without agreeing with the authorities hence violating the law.

On July 16 the representatives of the Georgian-Ossetian Civil Forum held in the Netherlands worked out a joint appeal to the Geneva Talks' participants and called them upon addressing humanitarian issues. In addition to seven people of Ossetian nationality the civil activist Temur Tskhovrebov took part in the meeting. Shortly after the completion of Forum Boris Chochiev, a special envoy of de facto republic accused Temur Tskhovrebov and S. Ossetian participants of the Forum of betraying the state interests which was followed by the beating of Tskhovrebov in the street. According to the editor the attackers included three members of the parliament of de facto republic. Temur Tskhovrebov is currently undergoing a course of treatment at hospital in Vladikavkaz. No word has been said about Tskhivrebov's beating at the round table organized for NGOs in Tskhinvali. In the course of the meeting just the Forum activities were condemned. Upon the completion of the meeting the parliamentary speaker Stanislav Kochiev condemned the activities of the forum as well as the actions by the MPs having physically abused Tskhovrebov.

S. Ossetian representatives of the forum didn't show up to meet the authorities in protest. Sarmat Farastaev, co-founder of the organization said many NGOs condemned the forum activities in fear for Eduard Kokoity's regime. Farastaev was most surprised at the action of the Ossetian human rights defender Lira Tskhovrebova having first condemned the actions by the MPs attacking the editor and in the course of the meeting kept censuring the forum activities. Lira Tskhivrebova, Farastaev said, conducting talks with Georgian counterparts in some other format, is taking thoughtless steps due to fear.

According to Sarmat Farastaev the Communist Party and its leader Stanislav Kochiev appeared as most progressive in comparison with the rest. He didn't avoid MPs' criticism and assigned the parliamentary commission of ethics to examine the issue. The statement to support Temur Tskhivrebov was disseminated by North Ossetian journalists. The appeal signed by 12 journalists includes a concern about the beating of Temur Tskhivrebov and a demand to de facto President Eduard Kokoity on setting private control over the investigation.