On April 30, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg arrives in Georgia. The program of the visit is not clarified yet, Kavkaz-Press agency reports.

According to preliminary information, Hammarberg will visit South Ossetia and hold meetings with local authorities.

One of the purposes of Hammarberg’s visit is the release of people who lie in prison in Georgia and South Ossetia. Hammarberg considers these people have been illegally detained and after Georgian-Russian war in August 2008 has been involved in the release of the hostages, prisoners and detainees from both sides. As he recently stated, 100 hostages from both sides were released in this period, however there are several dozens of people waiting for the decision of Ossetian and Georgian authorities.

L.A.