07.02.2007 - Source: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

Abkhazians receive Russian passports, but they still are not acknowledged as refugees, although they fled to Russia many years ago ("Zwischen Europa und Russland - Zur Lage der abtrünnigen Republiken Transnistrien, Abchasien und Südossetien") [ID 20294]

"While the Abkhazian leadership in Sukhumi quite welcomes Russia’s help, it rejects accession to the Russian Federation since it does not intend to lose its longed-for independence. It seems that Moscow is playing a double game: On the one hand, it practices ,annexation on the sly‘, generously handing out Russian passports to the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; on the other, it still does not acknowledge Abkhazians as refugees, although they fled to Russia many years ago."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: International Crisis Group

Abkhaz passports cannot be used to travel abroad, thus most Abkhaz obtain Russian passports to travel; Russian Duma sometimes alleges that ethnic Abkhaz with Russian passports are their citizens; the Abkhaz have to ask for permission from de facto authorities to travel to Georgia ("Abkhazia Today; Europe Report N°176") [ID 17235]

"Only a few hundred people are believed to have received Abkhaz passports, primarily in Sukhumi. They cannot be used for international travel as they are not issued by a recognised state authority, so serve primarily as identification documents. The de facto authorities had initially asked the UN for travel documents. This required Georgian agreement, which was not forthcoming, so Abkhaz have been obtaining Russian passports, issued locally, since 2000. Georgia accuses Russia of attempting to annex Abkhazia by “passportisation”, while Abkhaz residents argue they have no choice but to accept the passports for travel. They are unwilling to use Georgian travel documents. The acceptance of Russian passports signifies a formal acceptance of citizenship that several Abkhaz described as “fictional”. They are happy to accept the benefits Moscow offers without feeling any further obligation. Russia may see it differently. Members of the Duma are making increasingly frequent statements underlining that ethnic Abkhaz with Russian passports are their citizens. In July 2006 the Russian foreign ministry warned Georgia that it would protect its citizens in Abkhazia “by all means at our disposal”. The Abkhaz authorities do not permit free travel by Abkhaz to Georgia proper. Permission must be applied for, with an explanation of purpose, from the de facto ministries of foreign affairs and security. One or two-day trips tend to be approved but authorisation for longer ones is difficult to obtain. NGO representatives allege that the decisions seem arbitrary."

Document(s): Open document

10.01.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Abkhazia: Foreign Minister confirms that Georgians living in the Gali district will face no problems if they refuse to take Abkhaz passports, but will be deprived of their right to vote ("Abkhaz Official Comments on Gali, IDPs") [#42143],  [ID 5632]

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 5633]

Document(s): Open document

30.11.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Secretary General

Abkhazia: New law on citizenship was adopted on 24 October; the law discriminates against ethnic Georgians and those who left Abkhazia during or after Abkhaz conflict ("Reports from the Council of Europe Field Offices and Other Outposts; October 2005 [SG/Inf(2005) 22]") [#40207],  [ID 5634]

"57. The Parliament of breakaway Abkhazia adopted a law on citizenship on 24 October with its third and final reading, the Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported. According to the draft law, the citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia are: ethnic Abkhaz and persons who have been permanently living in Abkhazia for no less than five years. Citizens of Abkhazia can simultaneously be citizens of the Russian Federation alone. These provisions serve to discriminate against almost all ethnic Georgians and persons of other nationalities who left Abkhazia during or after the end of the conflict in Abkhazia."

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 5635]

Document(s): Open document

22.02.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Secretary General

President of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh said that population would be granted Abkhazian passports in spring ("Reports from the Council of Europe Field Offices and Other Outposts, January 2005 [SG/Inf(2005) 4]") [#33371],  [ID 5636]

"85. On 29 January President-elect of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh said that, starting in spring, the de facto authorities would begin granting Abkhazian passports to the population living in the unrecognised republic. Currently most of the Abkhazian population carry both Soviet-era and Russian passports."

Document(s): Open document

02.2005 - Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Georgians who returned to Abkhazia do not always hold Abkhaz documents, and thus face imprisonment ("Europe, Central Asia and North America region - quarterly reports of field offices") [#29691],  [ID 5637]

"Individuals from the returnee population of Georgian origin continue to be subject to arbitrary detention in most of the cases, as they do not always hold proper Abkhaz de facto documents and updated registration. Crossing the ceasefire line without the authorization issued by the Abkhaz de facto authorities is a penal crime that may lead to imprisonment."

Document(s): Open document

13.09.2001 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Council of Europe: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia excluded the possibility that Abkhaz residents apply for Georgian passsports ("Honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia [Doc. 9191]") [#10653],  [ID 5639]

"39. The representatives of local NGOs raised with us a particular human rights problem that was of a major and immediate concern to them. As of January 2001, new Russian passports would be issued and their old Soviet passports would no longer be valid for travelling. If no special agreement could be reached with the Russian Government, Abkhazi would be ready to apply for Russian citizenship and obtain Russian passports.

40. We raised this problem with the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia and suggested that Abkhaz residents apply for Georgian passports. He excluded this possibility saying that even if the Georgian Government were ready to provide them, Abkhaz people would not accept Georgian passports.

41. We raised the same question with President Shevarnadze and suggested that, even if only few Abkhazi might apply, it would be important to offer the opportunity to obtain a Georgian passport to all residents of Abkhazia, so that none of them would be legally deprived of the possibility to hold a passport."

Document(s): Open document

01.12.2000 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

Danish Immigration Service: ID documents; travelling ("Report on roving attaché mission to Georgia") [#6081],  [ID 5638]

"The IOM and the Abkhazian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that national passports were not issued in Abkhazia. As the old Soviet passports are now no longer valid, the Abkhazians have the option of obtaining a Georgian national passport which they have to apply for in Georgia or a Russian passport which would require them to become Russian citizens. IOM stated that for political reasons very few Abkhazians had applied for Georgian passports, but some had obtained Russian citizenship and hence Russian national passports. According to the UN Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Abkhazian identity cards are issued by the local authorities.

There are no 'plane or train connections within Abkhazia or to the outside world. It is only possible to enter or leave the country by road transport, either via Georgia through the Gali region where there are several crossing-points, or via Russia across the Abkhazian-Russian border in the west,

over the river Psou (the area borders the Krasnodarsk region) . Travelling by either route entails security problems.

The IOM reported that for political reasons there are no Georgian checks at the border between Georgia and Abkhazia, although there are police posts. On the Abkhazian side of the Inguri river, which forms the natural border between Abkhazia and Georgia, the Abkhazian police carry out checks. Abkhazians who want to travel to Georgia have to get permission from the Abkhazian authorities.

Russia undertakes regular border checks on those entering and leaving Abkhazia. The UN Human Rights Office in Abkhazia said that the Russian checks had been reinforced after the conflict with Chechnya."

Document(s): Open document