A scandal has erupted in Abkhazia involving Artur Aloev, a veteran of the 1992-93 Georgian-Abkhazian war, who is facing criminal charges for illegal weapon possession.
On May 25, the Abkhazian Ministry of Internal Affairs released a video report stating that Artur Aloev had a loaded revolver in his bedroom.
“At the time of his arrest, Aloev was under the influence of drugs. According to the investigation, the confiscated homemade revolver was in working condition and capable of firing, and the ammunition was live,” the Ministry detailed.
Artur Aloev, originally from Kabardino-Balkaria, participated as a volunteer in the Georgian-Abkhazian war in the early 1990s and was awarded a medal for his service. As a respected individual, this incident has sparked significant public outcry.
Some opposition Telegram channels have even demanded that the Ministry of Internal Affairs apologize to the veteran.
The veteran organization “Aruaa” stated that they “will not allow the name of a person who defended the country’s independence alongside us, while some compatriots chose to flee and hide, to be dragged through the mud.”
“Every volunteer is a national hero to us, and even during the Soviet era, war heroes were never humiliated in television reports unless they committed a particularly serious crime,” the “Aruaa” statement said.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, in turn, reported that Aloev was not kept in custody but was released under a travel restriction due to his status as a veteran and disabled war hero.
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