Abkhaz supreme court judge’s car burned down by unknown arsonists

A car belonging to a judge of Abkhazia’s supreme court Temur Shonia burnt down in Sukhum in a suspected arson attack on March 21.

Prosecutor Ruslan Tyrkba said that as soon as the fire had been contained it became clear it had started near the front right wheel of the vehicle, before spreading to the engine compartment and totally destroying the engine.

Temur Shonia is known to have presided over a number of high-profile cases in the past and has earned himself a reputation as one of Abkhazia’s most principled judges.

Most recently, Shonia has been one of a number of judges assigned to hear the case of the assassination attempt on Abkhazia’s ex president Alexander Ankvab.

Also, he was on the supreme court’s panel when it found MP Nodik Kvitsinia guilty of organizing the murder of a Russian businessman and his girlfriend.

The news of arson came shortly after president Raul Khajimba had denounced as “dirty tricks” the previous week’s incidents in Sukhum, in which one parliamentarian candidate had his car set on fire by unknown perpetrators and another’s car was shot at. He called on the Abkhaz to “keep calm” ahead of the runoff elections due soon.

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