Abkhazia sets up commission to investigate why Russia is "punishing" certain citizens
Abkhazia launches inquiry into Russian sanctions
Abkhazia’s parliament has established a commission to investigate why Russia imposed personal sanctions on certain Abkhazian citizens.
The commission will look into whether the previous Abkhaz leadership violated citizens’ constitutional rights — particularly former president Aslan Bzhania. Many of those affected by the sanctions, as well as members of the public, believe the Kremlin acted on complaints submitted by Bzhania against his political opponents.
The commission is expected to complete its inquiry within three months.
The move follows what lawmakers described as “punitive actions” by Russian authorities after the political crisis in Abkhazia in November 2024, which ended with the de facto ousting of the government.
For example, two Abkhaz opposition politicians were stripped of their Russian citizenship, and three journalists were designated as “foreign agents” by Russia’s Ministry of Justice.
The journalists attempted to challenge the decision in Russian courts, but their lawsuits were not even accepted for review. As a result, they turned to the Abkhaz parliament, requesting a formal investigation to either substantiate the accusations or officially clear their names.
Representatives of Abkhaz society — including politicians, cultural figures, and civil society activists — have also addressed an open letter to the new president, Badra Gunba, and members of parliament. In it, they urge the authorities to view the situation not only as a foreign policy episode, but as a development that affects internal stability and public trust in official institutions.
The letter reiterates a widely shared view in Abkhazia: that the Russian sanctions were imposed following complaints made by former president Aslan Bzhania.
“The sanctions introduced by the Russian Federation against citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia were based on slanderous allegations made by government officials, led by former President Aslan Bzhania. These claims suggested that Western intelligence agencies were influencing public opinion in Abkhazia to undermine Abkhaz-Russian relations.
As a result, the country’s leadership deliberately conveyed misleading information to a major international actor — discrediting the Abkhaz state, the memory of those fighting in the ‘special military operation,’ and the role of the media. In doing so, they undermined the very idea of an independent Abkhaz state,” the letter reads.
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