A/HRC/RES/49/33 Underlining the role of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms in Gali and Ergneti in finding durable solutions for the safety and humanitarian needs of conflict-affected persons on the ground, Welcoming the cooperation of the Government of Georgia with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and its office in Tbilisi, and with other relevant international and regional human rights mechanisms and actors, Welcoming also the continuous technical assistance provided by the Office of the High Commissioner through its office in Tbilisi, Recognizing the significance of the reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,1 and noting the recommendations by the High Commissioner made therein, Condemning the illegitimate, so-called parliamentary elections held in Abkhazia, Georgia on 12 March 2022, and the illegitimate, so-called presidential elections scheduled to be held in the Tskhinvali region/South-Ossetia, Georgia in April 2022, Stressing the findings of the High Commissioner in the reports, in which the High Commissioner underscored the responsibility of the authorities exercising effective control in Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia to uphold the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all people living therein and to address any conduct that violates or abuses their human rights, and expressed regret at the continued refusal of those in control of Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia to grant immediate and unimpeded access to staff members of the Office of the High Commissioner and to the United Nations human rights mechanisms to both regions, Expressing serious concern at the continued process of installation and advancement of barbed wire fences and different artificial barriers, which are enforced periodically along the administrative boundary line in Abkhazia, Georgia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia and adjacent areas, including during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which continue to have a negative impact on the already poor socioeconomic conditions of the conflict-affected population and their sense of security, while also preventing their access to property, grazing and farming lands, religious sites and cemeteries, Noting with concern that, despite the Secretary-General’s appeal for an immediate global ceasefire, the situation of human rights has further deteriorated in both Georgian regions, particularly owing to growing violations and restrictions on humanitarian access, Expressing serious concern at various forms of reported discrimination against ethnic Georgians, cases of torture and other forms of ill-treatment, infringements of the right to life, the right to liberty and security of person, the right to the highest attainable standard of health and property rights, kidnappings, restrictions on education in one’s native language in both Georgian regions, and the continued practice of demolition of the ruins of houses belonging to internally displaced persons in the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia, and the obliteration and alteration of Georgian features from Georgian cultural heritage monuments in both regions, Expressing serious concern also at the negative consequences of the prolonged closure of the so-called crossing points and the increasing restrictions on freedom of movement, particularly the denial of medical evacuations by the authorities exercising effective control in both regions, which has contributed to a number of deaths and the further isolation of the regions, thereby aggravating the humanitarian and socioeconomic situation on the ground which has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with regard to women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of all human rights, Expressing serious concern further at the arbitrary detentions and kidnappings, which in some cases involve shooting, torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and continue to have a negative impact on human security and the health conditions of conflict-affected people, and restrict their freedom of movement, 1 2 A/HRC/36/65, A/HRC/39/44, A/HRC/42/34, A/HRC/45/54 and A/HRC/48/45.