Murad Sadaddinov: "Persecution of Georgians by different criminal nationalist groupings may start in Russia"

- What can you say about the current situation in Georgia?

- I am outraged with Russia's actions, which in 21st century applied really violent measures of building its relations with neighbor countries. I am surprised at its calm throwing off its mask of an honest and European state, showing its real face of an aggressor, not caring of any form of ethics and ready to condemnation by the whole world society just for ensuring the ambitions of their working leaders.

I would like to believe that after the tragedy, which currently the Georgian people is suffering, being subjected to Russia's aggression, no one have any doubts that defense of the South Ossetian population was just a cause for deployment of Russian troops in Georgia, aimed at the overthrow of democratic power in this country in the face of Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili for a puppet, Kremlin-oriented leadership.

The South Ossetian residents sacrificed their lives for this Russian adventure and were deprived of their homes. I want to believe that these people will realize the cost of Russia's attempt to seize control over Russia. I hope that world society will not close eyes on the open violation of all human rights by Russia in Georgia, as the consequences of this silence can be terrible not only for the South Caucasus region, but also for the world.

- Can these actions be assessed as a genocide of Georgian people?

- You see, the very meaning of the word "genocide" as a term, demonstrating the tragedy of the people, which suffered from it, has been distorted by the world Armenians, who have turned this turn into an exchange coin for attaining their political goals.

Therefore, I prefer choosing other terms while assessing what is now happening in Georgia. I would say like that: Russia ignores all international norms, not only hindering restoration of the territorial integrity of Georgia and supporting separatism but also threatening to the Georgian civilians. This is a military crime and Russia must bear responsibility for it.

- Meanwhile, anti-Georgian actions of Russia are not limited with annexation. Thus, the Russian movement against illegal immigration made an open appeal to the Russian leadership with a proposal to intern the Georgian citizens in Russia, as persons, conducting reconnaissance and diversion, undermining Russia's economy and nationalize the property, belonging to Georgian citizens in Russia. How do you assess these moods?

- They are too dangerous. These are the ideas of lawlessness, national intolerance and barbarism. Georgian citizens, residing in Russia, as well as persons of Georgian nationality,  which are the Russian citizens, have no relationship to the military actions, currently ongoing in Georgia.

It means that there are no reasons for Russia to square accounts with them. But by example of Russia's military intervention with Georgia, Russia's attitude to such concepts as law, international law and human rights is obvious, which says that Georgians can be persecuted by different criminal nationalist groupings in Russia. But I am sure that the world society will give an adequate response to these actions.

- Will the human rights organizations and civil society of this country be able to protect Georgians, residing in Russia, from such actions?

- I think no. We have had too many examples of national intolerance in Russia, but neither the civil society of Russia, nor Russian human rights activists were able to resist this event and now when military actions in Georgia are held with participation of Russian troops, when the nationalistic elements in Russia had a formal reason for substantiating their actions against Georgians, possibility of effective counteraction to these actions by the civil society and human rights activists of Russia will be lower.

Russian TV channels, inciting hatred to Georgia and Georgians are also adding fuel to the fire.

The problem is also deteriorated by the fact that opposition and public have been almost fully terminated with Vladimir Putin's coming to power in Russia. There is no place for freedom of speech and though in present-day Russia and voice of human rights activists is not often heard.

In these conditions, it would be more correct to expect pressure on Russia, in case of growth of anti-Georgian moods in this country, not from Russian human rights activists, but from world society.

/Day.Az/