Occupied Abkhazia to strip Georgian citizens of right to inheritance

The so-called parliament of Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia has passed a bill in its first reading which strips a group of Georgian citizens of their right to receive their inheritance in the region.

The bill says that the “offspring of those who fought against the sovereignty of Abkhazia, took part in military operations or supported the occupying force [referring to the central Georgian government] will not have the right to receive inheritance in Abkhazia”.

Georgian Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says that the decision is the continuation of the occupation policy.

Such decisions have no legal grounds as Abkhazia is internationally recognised as an integral part of Georgia,” Tsikhelashvili said.

• The War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993 was fought between Georgian government forces for the most part, and Abkhaz separatist forces, Russian armed forces and North Caucasian militants.
• The separatists received support from thousands of North Caucasus and Cossack militants and from Russian forces stationed in and near Abkhazia.
• Between 13,000 to 20,000 ethnic Georgians and approximately 3,000 Abkhaz were reported killed, and more than 250,000 Georgians became internally displaced or refugees and about 2,000 are considered missing.