Bzhinava's detention and arrest attracted the attention of the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry.
The Abkhazian Foreign Ministry responded to the detention and arrest of Irakli Bzhinava, an associate professor at a Rostov university department who criticized the practice of issuing Russian passports in Abkhazia.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on February 5, in Rostov-on-Don, Irakli Bzhinava, the head of the city's Abkhaz diaspora and an associate professor at the Department of Constitutionalism at the Law Faculty of the Southern Federal University, was detained. The day before, he had called the issuance of Russian passports in Abkhazia with "the oath of allegiance to the Russian Federation by citizens of an independent state" "categorically unacceptable."
The Abkhazian Foreign Ministry issued a statement today, stating that it is "closely monitoring the situation related to the detention and subsequent arrest on the territory of the Russian Federation of Irakli, a citizen of the Republic of Abkhazia Bzhinava."
The ministry emphasized that it is "taking the necessary measures to clarify the current situation with the Russian side."
Irakli Bzhinava and his family members have been offered the necessary consular and legal support.
"Bzhinava also holds Russian citizenship and permanently resides in Rostov-on-Don, where he taught at a state university. On behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Abkhazia in Rostov-on-Don is in contact with the competent authorities of the Russian Federation. As a citizen of the Republic of Abkhazia, Irakli Bzhinava and his family members have been offered the necessary consular and legal support," the ministry's website stated.
The ministry also expressed its "readiness to cooperate with the competent authorities" of Russia to To clarify all the circumstances of the case and ensure the rights of Abkhaz citizens are respected.
The public organization of the Abkhaz diaspora in Rostov-on-Don was established in the fall of 2023. Irakli Bzhinava explained to the Apsnypress news agency at the time that he had been living in Rostov-on-Don "since 1992, since he was 14." "Several months ago, we started thinking about creating and registering a diaspora. We compiled lists, created our own chat room, and started meeting. On October 28, we held a meeting and decided to register the public association," he said. Bzhinava noted that the diaspora plans to organize online Abkhaz language courses, according to the publication.
As a reminder, on February 6, the Russian Embassy in Abkhazia announced the cessation of issuing Russian passports in Abkhazia. This decision was made following statements by Abkhaz parliamentarians who questioned the legality of the Russian document issuance offices that opened in January.
As of February 6, at the initiative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the exchange of driver's licenses for Russian ones has also been suspended, the Abkhaz Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. Several Abkhaz politicians criticized their colleagues, whose statements prompted the Russian side to close the issuance points, while local activists supported the decision.
The issuance of Russian passports to Abkhaz citizens who also hold Russian citizenship was carried out on the basis of an agreement on the settlement of dual citizenship issues, which entered into force in April 2025. On July 17, 2025, Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the issuance of internal Russian passports in Abkhazia.
Earlier, on April 1, 2025, Putin also issued a decree simplifying the issuance of Russian driver's licenses to Abkhaz citizens who hold Russian citizenship or a residence permit in Russia. Some drivers complained that they spent money on paperwork without knowing about the upcoming change. Unexpired Abkhazian driver's licenses are considered valid in Russia until April 1, 2026.