On 19 December 2018, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria and several particiaptns of the International Conference on Political and Legal Implications of Human Rights Violations in Conflict-Affected Regions visited the village of Khurvaleti located near the occupation line and met with locals and persons displaced as a result of the 2008 war.

Representatives of the Public Defender of Georgia and the State Security Service of Georgia informed the human rights defenders from various countries of problems faced by Georgia, such as a permanent creeping annexation and the so-called “borderization", restriction of movement, violation of property rights, illegal detention, torture and ill-treatment of citizens, social hardship caused by the loss of agricultural lands.

The guests also visited the settlement of IDPs in Khurvaleti. The social conditions of IDPs are still grave on the 10^th anniversary of the August war; road infrastructure, sewage and drainage systems are out of order inside the settlement, which is particularly problematic during rain and bad weather. According to the locals, the village is not provided with municipal transport, while private transport is not enough. Consequently, it is complicated to go to another village for getting outpatient medical services or buy medicines.

Due to the remoteness of arable land and absence of irrigation system, IDPs cannot till land. As a result, they have to work as hired workers in exchange of very low payment.

At the meeting with the Public Defender, IDPs expressed regret that there is no additional educational courses in the local school and children have no development opportunities according to their interests.