HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Georgia/Russia, Up in Flames. Humanitarian Law Violations and Civilian Victims in the Conflict over South Ossetia (hrw.org)

Humanitarian Law Violations and Civilian Victims in the Conflict over South Ossetia
January 23, 2009

This 200-page report details indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks by both Georgian and Russian forces, and the South Ossetian forces' campaign of deliberate and systematic destruction of certain ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia. It also describes Russia's failure to ensure public order and safety in areas of Georgia that were under its effective control. The report is based on more than 460 interviews done over several months of field research.

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Up In Flames

Map of South Ossetia
Executive Summary
Methodology
Part 1: Background
1.1 Background on South Ossetia
1.2 International Legal Framework
Part 2: Violations by Georgian Forces
2.1 Overview
2.2 Indiscriminate Shelling of Tskhinvali and Outlying Villages
2.3 Attacks by Georgian Forces on Civilians Fleeing the Conflict Zone
2.4 Georgian Forces' Ground Offensive
2.5 Georgia's Use of Cluster Munitions
2.6Russian Allegations against Georgia of Genocide and Other War Crimes
2.7 The Issue of Civilian Casualties in South Ossetia
2.8 Georgian Detentions and Ill-Treatment of Ossetians
Part 3: Violations by Russian Forces
3.1 Overview
3.2 Aerial Bombardments, Shelling, and Artillery Attacks
3.3 Russia's Use of Cluster Munitions
3.4 Tank Attacks on Civilian Homes
3.5 Attacks by Russian Forces on Civilians Fleeing the Conflict Zone
3.6 Pillaging, Destruction, Violence, and Threats against Civilians
3.7 Russia's Responsibility as Occupying Power
Part 4. Violations by South Ossetian Forces
4.1 Overview
4.2 Attacks on Georgian Civilians and Their Villages in South Ossetia
4.3 South Ossetian Abusesin Undisputed Georgian Territory
4.4. Execution, Illegal Detentions, Ill-Treatment, and Degrading Conditions of Detention by Ossetian Forces, at times with Russian Forces
4.5 Execution, Torture, and Other Degrading Treatment of Georgian Prisoners of Warby Ossetian Forces, at times with Russian Forces
Part 5: International Scrutiny of Rights Violations in the Conflict
Recommendations
Acknowledgements
Appendix