The South Ossetian authorities banned an activist from the Akhalgori region, previously persecuted for political reasons, Tamara Mearakishvili, from holding a picket against corruption in the region. The dishonest behavior of citizen Mearakishvili is aimed at discrediting state power in the eyes of the public, noted the Prosecutor General’s Office of the self-proclaimed republic.

In September, Mearakishvili went on a one-person picket in front of the government building in Tskhinvali and went on a hunger strike. According to her, she is denied a job, despite the availability of vacancies.

Earlier, the Prosecutor General's Office of South Ossetia announced the closure of the criminal case against ethnic Georgian Tamara Mearakishvili due to the absence of signs of a crime. She was accused of slandering a member of the ruling party of the republic, United Ossetia. A criminal case was also opened against the activist for illegally acquiring a South Ossetian passport, and searches were carried out in her house.

According to human rights activists, the woman was persecuted for criticizing the authorities and publicizing facts of corruption.