Day: December 14, 2024
Abkhaz ex-president’s property
Opposition Telegram channels in Abkhazia claim that during his time in office, former President Aslan Bzhania acquired real estate worth a total of 1.5 billion rubles [over $14 million].
The opposition supports its claims with documents shared with the media.
Among them is a purchase agreement for a 165-square-meter apartment in central Moscow valued at 100 million rubles [around $957,000]. The agreement was signed on 12 August 2024, as Abkhazia was already sinking into a severe political and economic crisis due to deteriorating relations with Russia.
It is possible that the actual price of the apartment is significantly higher than stated in the agreement, as Abkhazian media discovered a listing for a similar apartment in the same building priced at 190 million rubles [around $1.819 million].
Officially, the buyer was listed as Leon Kirtbaya, the nephew of Aslan Bzhania’s wife, while the transaction was executed on his behalf by the ex-president’s son, Maxim Bzhania.
The media also highlights that the deal was made at a time when the Abkhazian government should have been preparing for the harsh winter and securing funds to purchase electricity from Russia. These funds, incidentally, were never secured, leaving the republic in an energy crisis, with residents enduring blackouts for up to 10 hours a day.
This and other real estate purchase agreements were discovered in Bzhania’s office after opposition forces stormed the government complex on 15 November.
According to opposition members, over the past four years, Bzhania’s family has acquired at least three additional luxury properties:
- Another apartment in Moscow, over 350 square meters in size;
- A country house in the Moscow region;
- An apartment in Sochi.
Thus, the total market value of real estate in Russia and Abkhazia acquired by Aslan Bzhania during his presidency is preliminarily estimated to reach 1.5 billion rubles.
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Anthony Blinken: “She returned knowing that she might be arrested on arrival.”
The U.S. Department of State awarded Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of AbzasMedia, with the “Champions of Combating Corruption” award.
Sevinj is known for her work on corruption investigations, and she is currently imprisoned.
In his speech, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted Sevinj’s devotion over the past decade in exposing government abuses.
“She is also the one awardee who is not with us this afternoon. In November 2023, Sevinj flew home from an overseas country amid a crackdown on Azerbaijani independent media. She returned knowing that she might be arrested on arrival. She was. Now, more than a year later, she remains in detention. Prior to her arrest Sevinj wrote and I quote, ‘I don’t feel fear anymore. I know what they can do. It does not stop me. It is more important to be useful to the people. People need us’”
-Antony Blinken
Blinken also expressed gratitude to the ten anti-corruption champions for their courage. He said it was an honor to partner with them in this fight. The Department of State created the “Champions of Combating Corruption” award in 2021 to recognize individuals who have made significant progress in fighting corruption and to show the U.S. government’s solidarity with them.
This year’s award recipients include journalists, human rights defenders, judges, and even government officials who have facilitated major institutional changes. Other awardees include Jorge Mora Cortes from Colombia, Matrika Daxal from Nepal, Altin Dumani from Albania, Srbukhy Galyan from Armenia, Carl Irani from Lebanon, Marr Nyang from Gambia, Javier Enrique Caraballo Salazar from Panama, Didar Smagulov from Kazakhstan, and Jimmy Spyre Ssentongo from Uganda. Blinken emphasized that each recipient made a difficult decision to help their own citizens and all the people around the world, and their dedication, along with those of others, we are in a better place now.
AbzasMedia, the organization behind Sevinj’s work, has also faced significant challenges. Six of its employees, including the general manager Ulvi Hasanlı, assistant Muhammad Kekalov, editor Sevinj Vagifgiz, reporters Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova, and investigative journalist Hafız Babali, have been arrested. These individuals are facing charges of smuggling, with some detained since November 2023.
On May 31, 2024, journalist and economist Farid Mehralizade from the “Azadlig” radio station was arrested, and a search was conducted at his home. He was accused under Article 206.3.2 of the Penal Code, which concerns smuggling by a group of individuals who had previously made secret agreements. The Khatai District Court decided to detain him for security reasons. On the same day, AbzasMedia issued a statement declaring that Mehralizade had no connection to the media organization.
Following this, each of the detainees in the AbzasMedia case was faced with additional serious charges related to financial matters. Since November 2023, nearly 20 journalists and social activists have been arrested in Azerbaijan on smuggling charges. None of these individuals have been charged based on their professional activities or political affiliations.
According to local human rights organizations, there are currently around 300 political prisoners in Azerbaijani prisons. Authorities typically assert that no one has been detained solely for political reasons related to their professional activities. However, both local and international human rights organizations believe these arrests are politically motivated, and they are calling for the release of the detainees and the withdrawal of the charges against them.
The post Sevinj Vagifgizi honored as anti-corruption champion appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
Der Machtkampf in Georgien –
Das georgische Kaleidoskop und
die Patrone. Von Philipp Ammon via @cicero_online https://t.co/6cHPGrRqw7— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) December 14, 2024