Abkhazia: Monument defaced, president accused of treason in nighttime vandalism act

Vandalism targets Abkhaz president

On the night of November 4 in Sukhum, the capital of Abkhazia, an unidentified person used oil paint to write accusations of treason against President Aslan Bzhania on the pavement outside the presidential administration building. The same paint was also used to deface a nearby monument to the mahajirs—Abkhazians forcibly exiled from their homeland in the 19th century during the Caucasus and Russo-Turkish wars.

Mahajirs in Abkhazia: 1.5 million Circassians and Abkhazians were deported during the 1817-1864 Russo-Caucasian War. Video

It is estimated that 80% of all ethnic Abkhazians live outside their historical homeland

The government has hinted that the opposition may be responsible.

“We believe this outrageous crime could only have been committed by people who lack the most precious thing our people have—historical memory—and who are devoid of morality and conscience,” the presidential press service stated.

Additionally, they noted that opposition-linked Telegram channels, while reporting the event, “focus on the offensive messages directed at the country’s leadership, yet omit mention of the vandalism against the mahajir monument.”

Sukhum mayor Beslan Eshba assured the public that the perpetrator will be found and punished to the full extent of the law.

Security camera footage shows only that the act of vandalism was committed by a person with their face concealed by a hood.

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Opposition figures argue that if the authorities fail to identify those responsible, the incident could be viewed as a “populist attempt to discredit the opposition and manipulate public opinion.”

Social media users, however, suggest a wider range of potential culprits—from foreign intelligence services to a lone individual with psychological issues.

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Vandalism targets Abkhaz president