Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of November 11-17, 2024

Crisis in Abkhazia, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, new criminal case against Nikita Zhuravel, echo of the parliamentary elections in Georgia, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of November 11-17, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Crisis in Abkhazia

On October 7, during the discussion at the parliament of Abkhazia of the agreement with Russia concerning investments, many MPs spoke out against approving the document. After that, it was sent for coordination. Analysts doubted that the authorities would take into account the arguments voiced by the opposition. The authorities of Abkhazia signed the agreement on investments with Russia without a second discussion at the parliament, thereby ignoring the law, and also belittled the role of the legislative body, the analysts emphasized. On October 30, the republic’s Minister of Economy signed the agreement on investments.

On November 11, a public meeting was held with the participation of members of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia. The participants of the meeting adopted a resolution calling on MPs not to ratify the agreement on investment projects. After the meeting, five activists were detained at the entrance to Sukhumi. After the information about their detention had been disseminated, residents of Abkhazia began to gather in front of the building of the State Security Service, and a scuffle broke out. Residents demanded from officials to open the gates and then rammed them with a car.

People began to arrive in Sukhumi to protest against the detention of oppositionists. The protesters moved to Freedom Square and blocked the bridges at the entrances to Sukhumi. At night, a scuffle between angry people and public officers occurred on the Kodori Bridge.

By the morning of November 12, all government buildings in the capital of Abkhazia were cordoned off by the military. President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhaniya delivered a speech in which he addressed citizens of the republic. The President of Abkhazia called on the people not to react to provocations and reported that some roads had been unblocked.

The Sukhumi City Court dismissed administrative offense cases against Ramaz Djopuya, Garry Kokai, and Almaskhan Ardzinba. Aslan Gvaramiya and Omar Smyr have already been released. The republic’s authorities promised to release all detainees in exchange for unblocking the bridges.

On November 13, Sukhumi hosted a meeting of MPs and activists devoted to the investment agreement with Russia. At the meeting, MPs Erik Rshtuni, Kan Kvarchiya, Demur Gogiya, and Naur Narmaniya announced that they would vote against the agreement. MP Dmitry Marshaniya also refused to vote for approval of the agreement.

Opponents of the investment agreement with Russia called on residents of Abkhazia to come to protest in front of the parliament building in Sukhumi. Special law enforcement vehicles were brought to the parliament building on the evening of November 14.

Twenty-one MPs came to the session of the parliament of Abkhazia, where the issue of ratification of the investment agreement with Russia was planned to be discussed, and only twelve of them voted for the agenda, reported MP Erik Rshtuni.

The protesters broke through the fence near the Abkhazian parliament’s building in three places, the “Nuzhnaya Gazeta” (Necessary Newspaper) newspaper reported on November 15.

The head of the State Security Service of Abkhazia and the Minister of Internal Affairs came to negotiate with the activists protesting against the investment agreement with Russia in front of the parliament building. After the talks, the senior officials left to convey the demands of the protesters to the republic’s president. Later, the press service of the President of Abkhazia reported that amid the protests, Aslan Bzhaniya decided to withdraw the draft law on ratification of the investment agreement with Russia.

The united opposition and public organizations created a coordination council to resolve the political crisis. The opposition handed a demand to resign over to the President of Abkhazia, reported Eshsou Kakaliya, a spokesperson for the headquarters for resolving the crisis. Aslan Bzhaniya announced his intention to “continue working.”

Amid the opposition’s ultimatum, the President of Abkhazia left Sukhumi. Now he stays in his native village of Tamysh. The coordination council of Abkhazian oppositionists and activists called on residents of Abkhazia to come to the parliament building on November 16. “Our task is to achieve Aslan Bzhaniya’s resignation and stabilize the political situation in the country,” the “Nuzhnaya Gazeta” (Necessary Newspaper) newspaper quotes the coordination centre’s appeal as stating.

Aslan Bzhaniya promised to resign when the protesters leave the parliament building in Sukhumi. “When they leave the building, I will write a letter of resignation, and we will see how much support they get at the new elections,” the President of Abkhazia stated. The opposition claims that the power will be likely transferred to the coordination council. Participants of the rally in Sukhumi demanded from the republic’s president to announce his resignation without any counter-conditions.

Aslan Bzhaniya is stalling for time with negotiations with opponents, since he does not have an action plan, but in fact, the opposition has already won the confrontation, analysts note.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

A criminal case against Vitaly Zhuravlyov has been filed with a court in Akhtubinsk. The local resident has been accused of repeatedly discrediting the Russian Armed Forces for his comment criticizing the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine posted on the “VKontakte” social network.

In Surgut, a court has found two entries posted by local resident Marina Lolokhaeva on a social network to be discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The woman has been obliged to pay a fine of 70,000 roubles.

Anton Timoshenko, a resident of the Pavlovsky District, has been fined 30,000 roubles for posting on a Telegram channel a video criticizing the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.

An administrative protocol for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces has been drawn up against Margarita Generozova, a resident of the Kamensky District.

The Prokhladnensky District Court has found the allegations that local resident Viktor Marchuk spoke negatively about the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine to be proven. The man has been obliged to pay a fine of 30,000 roubles under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

New criminal case against Nikita Zhuravel

On February 27, in Grozny, a court sentenced Volgograd resident Nikita Zhuravel to 3.5 years of imprisonment, finding him guilty of violating the right to religion and hooliganism. On October 3, the General Prosecutor’s Office announced that a new criminal case – on high treason – had been instituted against Nikita Zhuravel. According to the investigators’ version, the suspect offered cooperation to an official of the Ukrainian security service via a messenger and sent him video recordings of a train carrying Russian military equipment and vehicles. On November 14, the defendant was transported from Chechnya to Volgograd.

The Nikita Zhuravel’s case on high treason is being considered at the location where the alleged crime was committed, although the case on burning the Koran was transferred from Volgograd to Chechnya. It is still questionable if Nikita Zhuravel voluntarily gave his testimony in the case on high treason. However, there is no possibility to listen to the defendant’s statements, as the trial is being held behind closed doors.

Echo of parliamentary elections in Georgia

Elections to the Georgian parliament were held on October 26. The opposition refused to recognize the parliamentary election results and claimed that they would boycott the work of the Georgian parliament. President Salome Zurabishvili also refused to recognize the parliamentary election results. Giorgi Kalandrishvili, the chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia, signed the final protocol of the parliamentary elections on November 16. During the meeting, David Kirtadze, a member of the “Unity-National Movement” Party, splashed paint in the Giorgi Kalandrishvili’s face. A criminal case was instituted on the incident. The CEC meeting took place amid street protests and observers’ demands to hold repeat parliamentary elections.

On November 16, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) detained three persons on administrative charges during a march to the Central Election Commission’s building of Georgia. Among those detained was Giorgi Liponava, one of the founders of the “Formula”. The police acted harshly, and many policemen wore black masks hiding their faces.

On the other day, the protest continued. Opposition leaders suddenly stopped the march before Rustaveli Avenue. “We are launching a democratic wave that should wipe the regime off the face of the earth,” stated Nika Meliya, the leader of the “Changes” movement. He emphasized that the government of the “Georgian Dream” Party should “collapse.”

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By November 17, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 5280 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2526 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2754 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 1101 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 996, in the Rostov Region – 592, in the Krasnodar Territory – 588, in the Stavropol Territory – 531, in the Astrakhan Region – 413, in North Ossetia – 321, in Chechnya – 214, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 180, in Kalmykia – 100, in Ingushetia – 96, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 83, and in Adygea – 65.