GEORGIA: RED CROSS RELEASE PHOTOS ITS THREE WORKERS FRENCH, GEORGIAN AND ITALIAN CITIZENS WHO WERE KIDNAPPED WHILE WORKING IN MOUNTAIN REGION

Record ID: 643539

  • Title: GEORGIA: RED CROSS RELEASE PHOTOS ITS THREE WORKERS FRENCH, GEORGIAN AND ITALIAN CITIZENS WHO WERE KIDNAPPED WHILE WORKING IN MOUNTAIN REGION
  • Date: 8th August 2000
  • Summary: TBILISI, GEORGIA (AUGUST 9, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. SLV RED CROSS OFFICE / RED CROSS AUTOMOBILES / RED CROSS FLAG 0.32 TBILISI, GEORGIA (AUGUST 8, 2000) (REUTERS) 2. VARIOUS RED CROSS CAR ABANDONED NEAR ROAD/INTERIOR OF CAR 0.51 (AUGUST 9, 2000) (REUTERS) 3. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF RED CROSS WORKER, ITALIAN CITIZEN NATASCIA ZUNINO 0.58 4. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF RED CROSS WORKER, FRENCH CITIZEN SOPHIA PROKOFIEFF 1.05 5. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF RED CROSS WORKER, GEORGIAN CITIZEN YURI DURCHIYEV 1.12 DUISI VILLAGE, GEORGIA (AUGUST 8, 2000) (REUTERS) 6. TRAVEL CAR DRIVING TO THE VILLAGE 1.30 7. SLV VILLAGERS SURROUNDING REPORTERS 1.35 8. SV (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RAISA SAYING " What do we benefit from doing this? We're peaceful civilians.They put the blame on Chechens again. [QUESTION: Who says so?] There are rumours. I can't show you a person who says that" 1.49 9. MV CHECHEN CHILDREN LISTENING 1.58 10. VIEW OF VILLAGE STREET 2.02 11. MV CHECHEN WOMEN LOOKING ONTO STREET 2.08 12. GV HELICOPTER OVER MOUNTAINS 2.20 PANKISI GORGE REGION, GEORGIA (AUGUST 8, 2000) (REUTERS) 13. SLV POLICE CHECKPOINT AT REGION WHERE RED CROSS WORKERS WERE KIDNAPPED / POLICE CHECKING PASSENGER BUS / POLICE OPENING UP BUS CARGO AREA 3.08 14. SLV POLICE CHECKING CARS / DRIVERS / POLICE AT CHECKPOINT 3.27 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TBILISI & PANKISI GORGE, GEORGIA
  • Country: Georgia
  • Reuters ID: LVA4FFYWC0SIJZQW7XZOYBBG7W7N
  • Story Text: The Red Cross has released photographs of its three
    workers--French, Georgian, and Italian citizens--who were
    kidnapped while working in the northern mountain region of the
    ex-Soviet state of Georgia.



    The search is continuing for the three Red Cross
    workers - Natascia Zunino from Italy, Sophia Prokofieff from
    France and their Georgian driver, Yuri Durchiyev.

    Their abandoned car was found near the village of Duisi in
    the northern Pankisi Gorge region, where they had delivered
    medical and humanitarian supplies to hundreds of Chechen
    refugees.

    Red Cross staff in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi had
    tried in vain to contact their colleagues for several days.

    Georgian authorities suggest the trio was taken on Thursday
    (August 3).

    Georgia's Interior Ministry confirmed that the group had
    been kidnapped. It said it believed the hostages were safe,
    but said that no ransom demands had been made. They say they
    have an idea who is behind the kidnapping.

    The three had been working in the Pankisi gorge, home to
    hundreds of refugees fleeing the war in Russia's rebel
    Chechnya.

    Refugees in Duisi village, near where the abandoned car
    was found, say they feel sorry for the missing people but deny
    that Chechen refugees had anything to do with the kidnapping.

    "What do we benefit from it? We're peaceful civilians.They
    blame Chechens again", said Raisa, a refugee from Grozny.

    The Red Cross has indefinitely suspended its activities in
    the region.

    Meanwhile security has been stepped up with all roads
    leading to Chechnya patrolled by Georgian Security forces.

    Hostage-taking and kidnapping for ransom are a frequent
    occurrence in mountainous Georgia, some areas of which remain
    outside central government control.

    Russian officials have also accused Georgia of tolerating
    Chechen rebels, saying they have set up camps and bases in the
    Pankisi gorge. Georgia has rejected these statements.

    (sw/ik)





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