Leri Barnabishvili, Head of LEPL Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau, hosted Severin Shapaz, Head of ICRC Delegation to Georgia, and Maria Mikellide, ICRC Forensic Coordinator.
The meeting focused on the long-term cooperation between the Bureau and ICRC, within which the joint effort in the process of identifying persons gone missing during the armed conflicts of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
Within the frameworks of the agreement between the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRS) and the Bureau, in order to identify persons gone missing during the war of Abkhazia and armed conflict of Tskhinvali, 3733 DNA samples have been taken from family members of persons gone missing. Out of this, 3311 samples have been genotyped for further identification of missing persons.
Along with the Department of Forensic Biology, experts from the Department of Forensic Medical Examination are involved in the identification process of soldiers who have gone missing. Experts participate in the process of exhumation as well as laboratory analysis.
Since 2014, with joint efforts of Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau, The Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the remains of 178 soldiers fallen in the conflicts in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali have been identified and handed over to the families.
At the meeting, the ICRC representatives expressed readiness to organize professional trainings for Forensic Medical and DNA experts of the Bureau.