29 May 2006, 22:55
South Ossetia MIA: 40 Russian citizens subjected to torture in the Georgian MSS
According to the press-service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia, two Ossetian hostages have been released. As has become known, they were captured and interrogated by the Georgian Ministry of State Security officers. Each detainee was interrogated separately, using physical pressure.
According to the former hostages, they were asked questions on the manning and the armament of the RSO Ministry of Defence, on the relationships of the RSO President and the Chairman of the Government. During the interrogations, representatives of the MSS used unparliamentary expressions and threats, and promised "a fast settlement of the Ossetian issue." Later they were handed over to representatives of the Georgian police who brought them to the border.
According to the information obtained from the former hostages, there are about 40 hostages at present at the Georgian MSS department in Gori. They are also subjected to physical pressure and it is not known when they are going to be released. As is known from reliable sources in Georgia, the secret operation on capturing hostages is managed from Tbilisi.
Author: Georgiy Vaneyev, CK correspondent