Abkhazia: death of woman in prison causes societal uproar

The death of a woman who entered a prison facility to visit a prisoner has resulted in public uproar in Abkhazia.  

Unofficial sources have it that the woman died from a drug overdose. An investigation has begun against the prison’s management.

19-year-old Amanda Sichinava visited a detention center of the ministry of internal affairs (Dranda Prison) for an overnight visit with the inmate Aynar Zukhba on the evening of October 25. 

In the morning Zukhba discovered that her visitor had passed away.

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As a result, the ministry of internal affairs began an official investigation, which has led to the public prosecutor bringing charges against the deputy director of the detention center, Dmitri Mikvabia. He was the person in charge of Dranda Prison on the day of the young woman’s death.

Mikvabia has been charged with breaking the law “On Keeping Suspects and Charged Criminals under Guard” and other regulations relating to those who have been arrested.

In particular, the investigatory body considers Mikvabia to have overstepped his authority, and without permission from a judge or any documents verifying the identity of the visitor, he allowed Amanda Sichinava to stay overnight with the inmate, even though there were no familial ties between her and Aynar Zukhba. 

Social media users are outraged by what happened. 

They say that Dranda Prison has a revolving door and are not the least bit surprised that someone could die of a drug overdose in a detention center.

Amanda Sichinava was a single mother, survived by a two-year-old son.

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