Translated material
Tired of the Sun
The arrest of a journalist led to mobilization in Abkhazia
Last weekend , the situation in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone worsened . President Mikheil Saakashvili's threat to forcefully release a Georgian reporter from arrest in Sukhumi became the reason for partial mobilization in the unrecognized republic of Abkhazia. Russian peacekeepers set up additional posts on the separation line.Malkhaz Basilaia, a journalist for the Georgian television company Mze (Sun), was arrested on February 26 on charges of “illegal border crossing.” After a month of pre-trial detention, a trial is due to take place; the journalist faces two to five years in prison. President Saakashvili demanded that the head of Abkhazia, Sergei Bagapsh, immediately release the detainee, promising otherwise to carry out a special operation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to Tbilisi media, police units and equipment are concentrated in Western Georgia near the administrative border with Abkhazia. In an interview with Vremya Novostey, Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs representative Shota Utiashvili confirmed that “the ministry’s posts have been strengthened in this area.” Our interlocutor called these steps a “retaliatory measure,” since Abkhazia is conducting military exercises and has announced partial mobilization due to the escalation of the situation after the detention of the journalist. According to Mr. Utiashvili, after the completion of the Abkhazian maneuvers, the Georgian side will also withdraw additional contingents.
Sergei Bagapsh stated that “Georgia is pulling additional armed forces to the border with Abkhazia.” “I think that Georgian President Saakashvili needs a new round of aggravation of the situation for PR purposes on the eve of the parliamentary elections in Georgia,” he said. Elections in Georgia will be held in May. Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba explained to VN that “Georgia has the right to deploy 600 police officers near the conflict zone, but has now deployed more than 1,000.”
According to Sergei Shamba, UN military observers and representatives of the command of the Russian peacekeeping forces held a meeting with the Georgian side in the western Georgian city of Zugdidi on the issue of relieving tensions. On Friday, in the Gali region of Abkhazia, a police UAZ was blown up by a landmine, and three Abkhaz policemen were injured. In Sukhumi they said that this was “sabotage”, which was connected with the “Basilay case”. “The concentration of Georgian forces began after the statement of Mikheil Saakashvili. But there is no need to talk to us with ultimatums, this will not lead to good,” said Sergei Shamba.