In occupied Abkhazia, near the entrance to Sukhumi, several opposition representatives were arrested on the evening of November 11. As per available information, at least 5 individuals - Omar Smiri, Gari Kokaia, Almaskhan Ardzinba, Ramaz Jopua, and Aslan Gvaramia - were detained and transferred to the so-called State Security Service. Protests demanding their release are underway in several areas, with the Gumista Bridge blocked. Amid the protests, military equipment has been spotted near the so-called presidential administration of Abkhazia.
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According to several local Telegram channels, the detainees were protesting against the ratification of an investment agreement with the Russian government. The so-called government channels report that opposition members were preparing a coup attempt. On November 8, when the document’s ratification was under discussion, “provocateurs were allegedly preparing a clash with law enforcement officers and an attempt to storm the parliament building.”
The so-called State Security Service has not yet provided information on the arrests of opposition members.
“Our comrades were arrested today. On what grounds are political figures being detained? The arrests were carried out as if they were particularly dangerous criminals. If the State Security Service had summoned them, they would have gone willingly. This demonstrates that Aslan Bzhania, realizing his complete lack of legitimacy, is trying to intimidate others with these supposedly fearsome methods, though this approach has always had the opposite effect in Abkhazia,” said Adgur Ardzinba, one of the leaders of the so-called opposition. He noted that two former “MPs” are among those arrested.
The agreement allowing Russian legal entities to carry out investment projects in Abkhazia was discussed on November 8 at an extended session of the international relations committee of the de facto parliament, after which it was decided to submit the issue to the full parliament for further discussion.
Opponents of the agreement argue that the preferential tax regime for Russian investors, as outlined in the document, will harm local entrepreneurs. Kan Kvarchia, an opposition member of the de facto parliament, stated that the agreement would allow Russian investors to build apartments in Abkhazia. According to him, the executive authority disregarded the majority opinion within the parliament on this matter.
