Abkhaz lawyer Irakli Bzhinava has been arrested in Rostov-on-Don.
The Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don arrested Irakli Bzhinava for two months for anti-Russian statements and attempts to incite ethnic hatred on the Internet.
As "Caucasian Knot" reported, on February 5th in Rostov-on-Don, Irakli Bzhinava, the head of the Abkhaz diaspora in the city and associate professor of 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."
"I also want to touch on the issuance of internal Russian passports in Abkhazia and the oath of allegiance to the Russian Federation by citizens of an independent state - the Republic of Abkhazia - on its own territory. Is this even normal?? We are an independent state, and this is categorically unacceptable! With all due respect, with all friendliness, with all due respect. "Alliance. This is the very same division of sovereignty declared by Aslan Bzhania. Abkhazia is not a subject of the Russian Federation, but an independent state!" Bzhinava wrote on his Facebook page* on February 4.
According to investigators, Bzhinava moved from Abkhazia to Russia in the mid-1990s, received a law degree from the Southern Federal University, and remained there to work as a teacher. According to security officials, Bzhinava "has a reputation online as a scandalous blogger who attempts to provoke ethnic hatred," TASS reported today, citing the unified press service of the Rostov Region courts.
"The Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don has ordered Irakli Bzhinava to be remanded in custody until April 4, 2026," the statement read.
Earlier, Abkhazia's President Gunba stated that he had taken personal control of Irakli Bzhinava's detention. According to the president, relevant agencies and special services have been involved, as reported by APSNYPRESS.
"I am personally monitoring this matter. We are working with special services regarding this detention... We are also taking all necessary measures to inform the relatives, friends, and loved ones of this citizen," the president said, responding to a question from AGTRK journalists.
As of today, Irakli Bzhinava's name still appears on the list of faculty members on the Southern Federal University website. He is listed as an associate professor in the Department of Constitutionalism with a PhD in Law.
"Caucasian Knot" also reported that the offices for issuing internal Russian passports in Abkhazia, which opened in January, will suspend operations because political figures in the republic have questioned their legality, the Russian Embassy in Abkhazia stated.