AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL calls upon the de facto authorities of Russia and occupied Tskhinvali to conduct an immediate and impartial investigation of the death of Archil Tatunashvili.

The statement released by the organization says that under international standards, “a death of any type in custody should be regarded as prima facie a summary or arbitrary execution and there should be a thorough, prompt and impartial investigation to confirm or rebut the presumption.” It is a fundamental rule of international human rights law that no-one may be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life.
The de facto authorities in South Ossetia/Tskhinvali Region have not returned Tatunashvili’s body to his family in Georgia.

"Families of the deceased have rights under international law and standards. They should be entitled to have a representative present during the autopsy. Upon completion of the necessary investigative procedures, the body should be returned to the family, allowing them to hold funeral rites for the deceased according to their beliefs,i" the statement reads.