Georgian police detained some 40-50 Ossetians on May 27 in villages in the South Ossetian conflict zone and took them to Gori for questioning, Russian and Georgian media reported. Most of the men were released the following day, and subsequently claimed to have been subjected to \"brutal\" torture.\" Eduard Kokoity, president of the unrecognized Republic of South Ossetia, accused Georgia on May 29 of conducting a policy of deliberate destabilization of the region under U.S. guidance. After meeting in Tskhinvali with South Ossetian officials, Georgian Minister for Conflict Resolution Giorgi Khaindrava and human rights ombudsman Sozar Subar both condemned the detentions and mistreatment as a human rights violation and demanded an investigation. (Caucasus Press)