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[STRASBOURG, 28 August 2008] - The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, concluded his visit to the areas affected by the South Ossetia conflict by obtaining the release of ninety-eight civilians who had been detained by either party. Eighty-five detained civilians were handed over by the de facto South Ossetian authorities to the Commissioner during his visit to Tskhinvali today. At the same time, thirteen detainees were passed on by the Georgian authorities. In addition two bodies were handed over by the Georgian side as a follow up to the exchange of forty-three corpses given by the South Ossetian side on Wednesday evening. The Commissioner welcomed the concrete and positive steps taken by both parties to comply with their humanitarian and human rights obligations. The recent exchanges represent a break trough in reaching a common understanding about the necessity to urgently address the humanitarian concerns stemming from the conflict. The Commissioner expressed his gratitude to the two main negotiators the Georgian Parliamentarian Givi Targamadze and the Ombudsman in Tskhinvali David Sanakoev, as well as the Georgian Ombudsman Sozar Subari for their efforts in this regard. The Commissioner called on the parties to the conflict to locate all persons who are in hiding, captivity or have been stranded because of the conflict and to organize their freedom and safety, through evacuation if necessary, protection or voluntary home going if possible. He called on the parties to support the mechanism now put in place through his good offices and allow these actors to continue their efforts as necessary and allow future proper exchanges. The Commissioner underlined the importance of the right to return for everyone displaced by the conflict. Such a return should be voluntary and made possible in safety and dignity. Security has to be fully guaranteed. The Commissioner called on the parties to urgently and effectively respond to the internally displaced person’s immediate needs of adequate shelter, food, clothes, identification documents and medical assistance. All parties must facilitate access and distribution of humanitarian assistance to persons in need. A large number of victims which the Commissioner has met during the later part of his mission have lacked everything, from beds, mattresses, blankets, food, medical assistance, trauma treatment to access to education for the displaced children and proper information about available services and entitlements. He urges the international community to contribute generously in order to provide these internally displaced with the immediate necessities. The national authorities must coordinate all humanitarian efforts to ensure non-discriminatory, effective and swift delivery of the aid. The Commissioner also called on all parties to the conflict to urgently locate areas affected by unexploded ordinances and to start clearing them in order for the civilians to be able to return home. The international community should be encouraged to contribute to these demining operations so that a safe and secure environment can be created for the returnees. The Commissioner is deeply concerned over reports of lawlessness in some areas affected by the conflict. Acts of looting, torching of houses, kidnapping and physical assault by militia and other actors on ordinary people must stop. He called on the parties to urgently address this policing vacuum to resolve the serious problem of insecurity. Finally, the Commissioner recommended that an effective system of protection and systematic monitoring of human rights be established on both sides. Such efforts would contribute to defusing the rising tensions among the affected population and to ensure protection of the rights of minorities