21.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

2 buses ferrying ethnic Georgians to cast their ballot in parliamentary elections blown up, 4 women injured ("Four Injured in Abkhaz Blast – Tbilisi Says") [ID 23295]

Document(s): Open document

23.04.2008 - Source: Forum 18

Georgian Orthodox priest Pimen Kardava expelled after a "special decree" of the unrecognised Abkhaz Orthodox Church; according to independent sources, he was expelled by the SSS security police ("Abkhazia: Only Georgian Orthodox priest expelled") [ID 23042]

Document(s): Open document

27.08.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Muslim community concerned about obvious anti-Muslim campaign ("Abkhaz Muslim Community Fears over Security") [ID 20970]

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

More than 200,000 displaced Georgians could not vote in any of the elections held since Abkhazia’s de facto independence; International organizations including the OSCE and the Georgian government, have criticized the polls as illegitimate ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20540]

"Residents of Abkhazia can elect government officials, but the more than 200,000 displaced Georgians who fled the region during the war in the early 1990s could not vote in any of the elections held since Abkhazia’s de facto independence. International organizations including the OSCE, as well as the Georgian government, have criticized the polls as illegitimate."

Document(s): Open document

04.05.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Authorities release three Georgian students arrested two months ago ("Sokhumi Releases Georgian Students") [ID 19821]

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Jehovah's Witnesses reported no problems, although the 1995 decree banning Jehovah's Witnesses remained in effect; in Abkhazia their membership is approximately 1,500 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19517]

"De facto authorities in the separatist Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions remained outside the control of the central government, and reliable information from those regions was difficult to obtain. A 1995 decree issued by the de facto leader of Abkhazia banning Jehovah's Witnesses in the region remained in effect but was not enforced. During the year members of Jehovah's Witnesses reported no problems in Abkhazia, where membership is approximately 1,500."

Document(s): Open document

24.01.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhaz Officials Deny Tensions with Ethnic Armenians ("Abkhaz Officials Deny Tensions with Ethnic Armenians") [ID 18544]

Document(s): Open document

06.02.2006 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Teaching in Abkhazia takes place in Russian; according to new legislation education in Abkhaz language is recognised and Georgia publishes textbooks in Abkhaz which are to be introduced in Gali region ("Refugees and displaced persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia [Doc. 10835]") [#43664],  [ID 5617]

"39. In addition to that, education continues to pose a problem in Abkhazia, where teaching takes place in Russian. The region’s schools are being renovated at the initiative of UNHCR. However, problems of staff and textbooks cannot be effectively dealt with by international bodies. According to recently adopted Georgian legislation, education in Abkhaz language is recognised, and Georgia publishes textbooks in Abkhaz which are ready to be introduced in the Gali region. Thus, the Georgian government demonstrates commendable goodwill, being prepared to take care of the education for not only ethnic Georgian returnees to Gali district but also for the Abkhaz residing there. However, the effective implementation remains dependent on the political settlement which is yet to be achieved"

Document(s): Open document

13.01.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia: Ethnic Georgian killed by unknown gunmen in Saberio village in Gali district ("One Killed in Abkhaz Conflict Zone") [#42147],  [ID 5618]

Document(s): Open document

10.01.2006 - Source: ReliefWeb

According to Abkhazian foreign minister Georgians living in Gali district will face no problems if they refuse Abkhaz passports; return of Georgian IDPs to other parts of Abkhazia would trigger renewal of violence and ethnic conflicts ("Georgia: Abkhaz official comments on Gali, IDPs (United Nations Association of Georgia)") [#41560],  [ID 5619]

Document(s): Open document

28.12.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Abkhazia: UN called on authorities to protect rights of internally displaced ethnic Georgians who fled Abkhazia and want to return there ("UN Urges Abkhaz Authorities To Protect Ethnic Georgians") [#41015],  [ID 5620]

Document(s): Open document

10.11.2005 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Republic of Abkhazia is offering citizenship to members of diaspora, in a move intended to encourage them to boost numbers of Abkhaz ethnic group that currently accounts for less than half population ("Abkhazia Offers Citizenship to Diaspora") [#39094],  [ID 5621]

Document(s): Open document

08.11.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Abkhazia: Georgian Orthodox Church is not allowed to operate in Abkhazia; the Patriarch is concerned that Russian Orthodox Church encourages separatism in the region; Jehowah`s Witnesses, Baptists, Lutherans and Catholics do operate in Abkhazia ("International Religious Freedom Report 2005") [#38872],  [ID 5622]

"The Government of Georgia does not exercise authority over South Ossetia, nor over theseparatist-controlledand unrecognized "Republic of Abkhazia;" therefore, regular and reliable information is difficult to obtain.
Abkhaz "President" Vladislav Ardzinba's 1995 decree banning Jehovah's Witnesses in the region remains in effect, but is not enforced. During the reporting period, the Jehovah's Witnesses reported no problems in Abkhazia, where membership is approximately 1,500. Although Baptists, Lutherans, and Catholics also report they are allowed to operate in Abkhazia, the GOC reports it is unable to operate there. The Patriarch has expressed concern over Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) support of separatism in the region by subsidizing web sites that encourage secessionist sentiments. The GOC has also complained that in addition to encouraging separatism, the Moscow Theological Seminary is training Abkhaz priests. Despite the fact that the ROC recognizes Georgia-Abkhazia territorial integrity, the GOC Patriarchy claims that the ROC is sending in priests loyal to Moscow, under the pretext of setting up indigenous Abkhaz churches."

Document(s): Open document

25.10.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

Parliament of breakaway Abkhazia adopted law on citizenship ("Abkhazia Adopts Law on Citizenship other » News «") [#42511],  [ID 5623]

Document(s): Open document

19.10.2005 - Source: UN Security Council

Abkhazia: Some Georgian teachers had to leave after Russian became education language in Gali district; some schools face problems to educate with reduced staff ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia [S/2005/657]") [#38393],  [ID 5624]

"27. With the commencement of the new school year, the issue of the language of education in the Gali district came once again to the forefront. At the end of August, the de facto Education Department of the Gali district instructed school directors to use the Russian language in all grades. Some of the native Georgian teachers, who could not meet this requirement, had to leave and no new Russian-speaking teachers were recruited. Thus, with reduced staff, some of the schools in the Gali district were able to provide only the bare minimum of education."

Document(s): Open document

08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Abkhazia: No Jehovah´s Witnesses detained at the end of 2004; Georgian language prohibited in Abkhazia´s schools ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41618],  [ID 5625]

"Reliable information on freedom of religion is difficult to obtain. Although a presidential decree bans Jehovah’s Witnesses and members have been detained by the authorities in recent years, none were in detention at year’s end, according to a representative of the group. Abkhazia’s Ministry of Education prohibits instruction in the Georgian language in the territory’s schools, the 2003 U.S. State Department’s human rights report for Georgia stated. Local residents in the Gali district, whose population is largely ethnic Georgian, were denied access to education in their mother tongue."

Document(s): Open document

27.04.2004 - Source: Forum 18

Abkhazia: Jehovah's Witnesses continue to be banned and Georgan Orthodox Church barred from religious service; Catholic, Baptist and Lutheran Churches allowed under some circumstances ("JW's still banned and Georgian Orthodox still barred") [#21770],  [ID 5626]

Document(s): Open document

04.04.2003 - Source: European Parliament

Position der Georgier in Abchasien ("Ad-Hoc-Delegation In Abchasien, Georgien 23. - 28. Februar 2003") [#14725],  [ID 5627]

"Die Vertreter der georgischen Seite berichteten über die Not der Tausenden von
Flüchtlingen, die in ihre Heimatorte in der Region Gali zurückgekehrt sind. Einigen
Berichten zufolge wurden viele georgische Flüchtlinge bei ihrer Rückkehr getötet;
genaue Zahlen liegen jedoch nicht vor. Ein Sprecher berichtete, sie wären zu einem
Sklavendasein gezwungen und hätten keine politische Vertretung oder
Bildungsmöglichkeiten in georgischer Sprache. In einer Region, in der Banditen ihr
Unwesen treiben, lebten sie völlig sich selbst überlassen. Zum Zeitpunkt des Besuchs
war es außerordentlich schwierig, wenn nicht unmöglich, in Abchasien eine
Ausbildung in georgischer Sprache zu erhalten. Die abchasischen Behörden hätten in
dieser Angelegenheit noch keine endgültige Entscheidung getroffen, da dies zu den
Befugnissen von Präsident ARDZINBA zählt, der angeblich in schlechter
gesundheitlicher Verfassung ist.
Die Abchasen widersprachen dieser Darstellung und erklärten, alle ethnischen
Georgier, die in der Region verblieben seien, genössen gleiche Rechte. Sie hätten
gegen eine Rückkehr der Vertriebenen in die Region Gali nichts einzuwenden. Sie
vertraten jedoch die Ansicht, dass die Rückkehr von Georgiern in andere Gebiete
Abchasiens größere Probleme verursachen und zu Gewalt und Blutvergießen führen
könnte. Diese IDP hätten selbst beschlossen, das Land zu verlassen, und könnten
deshalb nicht erwarten, dass sie zurückkehren können. Grundsätzlich hatten die
Abchasen nichts dagegen einzuwenden, dass georgische Mütter zurückkehren, um die
Gräber ihrer Kinder zu besuchen, die in dem Konflikt ums Leben gekommen sind. Sie
erklärten jedoch, dass sie in vielen Fällen nicht wüssten, wo sich diese Gräber
befinden.
Der Vertreter der UNOMIG beschrieb die derzeitige militärische Lage als „generell
friedlich“. Ihm lagen keine Berichte über Gewaltakte der „Waldbrüder“ oder „Weißen
Legion“ vor. Die Lage spitze sich während der Mandarinenerntezeit zwischen
Dezember und Februar und der Haselnussernte zwischen September und Oktober zu.
Die Delegation traf mit Vertretern der IDP in Tiflis zusammen, die über die
Gräueltaten berichteten, die sie erlebt hatten, und den Wunsch äußerten, in ihre
Heimat zurückzukehren. Wie ein Sprecher einer internationalen Organisation erklärte,
befürchtet die georgische Regierung, dass die 300.000 IDP in Georgien sich letzten
Endes integrieren und von ihrem Wunsch abkommen, nach Abchasien
zurückzukehren, das Tiflis damit verloren ginge. Die Delegation erfuhr von den
Georgiern auch, dass viele Georgier, die Abchasien verlassen haben, nach dem
abchasischen Rechtssystem ihre Ansprüche auf ihren Besitz verloren hätten."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

Ministry of Education of the separatist government of Abkhazia announced a ruling prohibiting instruction in Georgian in schools in Abkhaz-controlled territory ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11848],  [ID 5628]

"In September the Ministry of Education of the separatist government of Abkhazia announced a ruling prohibiting instruction in Georgian in schools in Abkhaz-controlled territory, including in the district of Gali inhabited by returned IDPs. This decision countradicted previous agreements by the Coordinating Council working group on Social and Economic Issues chaired by the Special Representative of the Secretary General to the country. The Public Defender's Office (Ombudsman) expressed indignation with the decision based on international legislative norms and the U.N. conventions on discrimination in the field of education."

Document(s): Open document

01.12.2000 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

Danish Immigration Service: Ethnic Abkhazians are still a minority in Abkhazia ("Report on roving attaché mission to Georgia") [#6081],  [ID 5629]

"No census has taken place since the conflict, so no recent figures or statistics are available to describe the current demography of Abkhazia. It is not even clear how many ethnic Abkhazians are living in Abkhazia following the conflict. One international source which asked to remain anonymous on this subject estimated that the number of inhabitants was now between 200 000 and 250 000, of which between 60 000 and 90 000 were Abkhazians and were therefore still a minority in the country.

Amongst the ethnic groups in Abkhazia are Greeks, who according to the ICRC live in purely Greek villages and do not mix with others, and Georgian Svans who live in villages in the Kodori Gorge. The ICRC reported that the latter had no problems insofar as they remained passive and did not get involved in Abkhazian politics. The Centre for Human Rights and Support for Democracy added that many Russians and Armenians fled during the conflict and that those who remained were elderly. The ICRC explained that the Armenians in particular had major social problems since they were not only elderly but also without their families. Besides the Georgians living in the Gali region, there was an unknown number of Georgians in the rest of Abkhazia, many in mixed marriages. The ICRC added that Abkhazian- Georgian couples had to be careful but said that generally Georgians did not have problems. The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy believed that the war had been traumatic for everyone, and that they had all been victims, so that those Georgians who had always lived in Abkhazia, both before, during and after the conflict, had no problems. The organisation also felt that the conflict had been politically rather than ethnically motivated. An international source which wished to be anonymous on this question felt that security for those Georgians who had always lived in Abkhazia depended on their social position i.e. whether or not they had resources. The organisation added that conflicts between Abkhazians and Georgians were often property related, and that it was possible to complain to the authorities in such cases. The organisation felt that the other minorities could be the targets of crime."

Document(s): Open document

04.02.2000 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Report on the situation in Gali region, the last Georgian enclave in Abkhazia ("Georgian Gloom in Abkhazia") [#15894],  [ID 5630]

Document(s): Open document