Russian calls for S. Ossetia tribunal

MOSCOW, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- A Russian official says an international tribunal should be established to try Georgian leaders responsible for giving orders to invade South Ossetia.

Russian human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin said the tribunal should punish whoever within the Georgian government gave orders to fire on the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, ITAR-Tass reported Sunday.

"It is necessary to find out (who is) responsible at a very high international level and to bring them to a legitimate international court," he told reporters Sunday. South Ossetian separatists and Russian foreign ministry officials say up to 1,500 people were killed and the city was virtually flattened in this weekend's fighting.

"Suspects should be fingered out among those who gave orders, and this should be thoroughly scrutinized and investigated," the news agency quoted Lukin as saying. "The one who gave orders on the night destruction of Tskhinvali is naturally the main responsible person."