Commission to investigate Russian sanctions created in Abkhazia parliament

Five deputies, including Kan Kvarchia, who was stripped of his Russian citizenship, have joined the Abkhaz parliamentary commission, which within three months must determine the reasons for recognizing three Abkhaz journalists as foreign agents, as well as the grounds for stripping Kvarchia and businessman Levan Mikaa of their Russian citizenship.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel reported, on March 21, the editor-in-chief of "Nuzhnaya Gazeta" Izida Chania* and the editor-in-chief of the "Aiashara" agency Nizfa Arshba* wereadded to the register of foreign agents by the Russian Ministry of Justice. According to the department, they were disseminating false information about decisions made by the Russian authorities and the policies they pursued. On March 7, the Russian Ministry of Justice added Abkhaz journalist and political scientist Inal Khashig* to the register of foreign agents. According to the department, Khashig* "disseminated false information about decisions made by public authorities of the Russian Federation and the policies they pursued, as well as about the electoral system," "interacted with foreign political figures." The Abkhazian authorities must protect the editor-in-chief of Chegemskaya Pravda, who has never violated local laws; declaring him a foreign agent in Russia is unacceptable, said Inal Khashig*'s colleagues. The journalist himself noted that he intends to challenge his status as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation. The head of the administration of the president of Abkhazia sent a repeated request to the Russian Ministry of Justice about the grounds for recognizing three journalists as foreign agents. He also asked Abkhazian agencies to submit inquiries to find out the reasons for depriving Kan Kvarchia and Levan Mikaa of citizenship.

The Abkhazian Parliament adopted a resolution to create a parliamentary commission to investigate the reasons for the application of personal sanctions against individual citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia by the Russian Federation, as well as to identify facts of violation of constitutional rights and freedoms of man and citizen by the previous leadership of the Republic of Abkhazia, Apsnypress reported today.

The commission included deputies Kan Kvarchia, Daut Khutaba, Temur Shergeliya, Erik Rshtuni and Badrik Pilia. "The commission is instructed to conduct a parliamentary investigation within three months from the date of the adoption of the resolution," the statement said.

The parliamentary investigation will concern the sanctions imposed by Russia on citizens of Abkhazia (deprivation of citizenship, deportation, assignment of the status of a foreign agent), Nuzhnaya Gazeta reported.

* are included in the register of foreign agents by the Ministry of Justice.

** the activities of the Meta company (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) are prohibited in Russia.