Family of Georgian man imprisoned for burning Abkhaz flag hold protest rally in front of gov’t building
Irakli Bebua set an Abkhaz flag on fire while the region was celebrating its ‘Victory Day and the Day of Independence’ on September 30. He stated in a video released later that he burnt the flag as he wanted Georgians and Abkhazians to live together and be friendly as earlier. Photo: On.ge/Lana Kokaia.
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Social activists and family members of Irakli Bebua, who was detained in 2020 by occupation forces for burning the flag of Abkhazia, gathered in front of the building of the government administration on September 19 and requested to be allowed to meet with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Irakli Bebua, an ethnic Georgian man living in the Gali district of Georgia’s Russia-occupied Abkhazia region, was sentenced to nine years in prison on December 8, 2020 for burning the flag of Abkhazia and for the possession of firearms.
Rally participants hold banners which reads: 'One year of government's inaction' and 'freedom for Irakli Bebua'. Photo: On.ge/Lana Kokaia.
My only request is the release of my son and a meeting with the prime minister. I’ve been asking for a long time for the prime minister to help us [Bebua's family members] release him. He is my only son...He is not in good health“, Irakli Bebua’s mother Lali Pipia told the local media outlet On.ge.
Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili, who himself was illegally detained by occupation forces in 2019, was present at the rally to express support for Irakli Bebua.
Bebua set an Abkhaz flag on fire while the region was celebrating its ‘Victory Day and the Day of Independence’ on September 30. He stated in a video released later that he burnt the flag as he wanted Georgians and Abkhazians to live together and be friendly as earlier.
The de facto police of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region have summoned a 19-year-old Aliona Tania living in the region and her parents for interrogation after the girl said on her TikTok account that ‘Abkhazia is Georgia.’
The de facto Foreign Ministry of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region says that the early release of Georgian citizen Irakli Bebua, who was illegally sentenced to nine years in prison back in December 2020, is ‘not on the agenda.’
Irakli Bebua, an ethnic Georgian man living in the Gali district of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for burning the flag of Abkhazia and the possession of firearms.
Irakli Bebua, a young ethnic Georgian man from the Gali district of Russia-occupied Abkhazia, has been detained after setting an Abkhaz flag on fire, while the region was celebrating the day of victory and independence on September 30.