Amid the ongoing wave of protests in the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, four opposition figures, Omar Smyr, Garry Kokaia, Almaskhan Ardzinba, Ramaz Jopua, and Aslan Gvaramia, who were detained the previous day, have been released.
“Protesters are preparing to open the crossing (Gumista Bridge), but are first waiting for the release of the detainees,” writes RESPUBLICA.
Omar Smyr, Garry Kokaia, Almaskhan Ardzinba, Ramaz Jopua, and Aslan Gvaramia were arrested on November 11. The de facto authorities claimed that they had “committed unlawful acts” against a member of parliament, Almas Akaba.
Former MP Tengiz Agrba, who was arrested on November 9 and whose release was also demanded by the opposition, was also released from prison.
A wave of protests in Abkhazia was sparked after the arrest of the abovementioned oppositionists, who, upon their return from a “public meeting” in Gudauta, were arrested and transferred to the de facto State Security Service.
On November 12, late at night, opposition supporters blocked the bridges of Gumista and Kodori in protest.
Over the last few months, relations between Abkhazia and Russia have worsened, in part over Abkhazia’s refusal to enact a number of pro-Russian reforms.
The Abkhazian government claimed in September that Moscow had cut the financial support it sends, which forms a substantial part of the Abkhazian budget, as a form of punishment for not passing the laws.
One piece of legislation in question regards an investment agreement, based on which the Abkhazian government would exempt registered Russian entities launching investment projects in Abkhazia from property taxes for eight years upon their registration in Abkhazia.
The agreement was signed by Economy Minister Kristina Ozgan and her Russian counterpart, Maxim Reshetnikov, on 7 October, the same day that President Aslan Bzhania and Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab presented the draft agreement to parliament.
Representatives of the opposition were excluded from the discussion.
The procedure for the entry into force of the mentioned document envisages “mandatory ratification in the People’s Assembly – the Parliament of the De facto Republic of Abkhazia”.
Related story: Confrontation between the “opposition” of occupied Abkhazia and its “force structures”
