The de facto security services of Russia-occupied Abkhazia arrested local resident Roman Darsalia on allegations of making remarks about the Abkhaz “committing genocide of the Georgian people” during the 1992-1993 armed conflict.
According to the agency’s September 4 statement, the internet monitoring established that the man “made statements during a livestream conversation with a Ukrainian blogger that contained insults directed at the Abkhaz people,” in particular, that he “made the claim that, during the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia [1992-1993 Abkhazia war], the Abkhaz ‘committed genocide against Georgians’.”
The agency added that the “necessary verification measures” are underway regarding Darsalia, who “has apologized to the entire people of Abkhazia for the statements he made.”
The de facto security service also published a video apology, where Darsalia introduces himself as a “citizen of Abkhazia” and apologizes for “unintentionally hurting the feelings of our people.” Darsalia further says that “we all know that there was no genocide of the Georgian people; on the contrary, there was a genocide of our Abkhaz people,” claiming that this is also what he said during the livestream with the Ukrainian blogger, who, he alleged, edited his words.
Darsalia is further seen apologizing for “speaking negatively about the Russian authorities and the Russian people.”
In a non-original video uploaded by Abkhaz sources, Darsalia is seen introducing himself to a Ukrainian blogger, Andriy Popyk, as being “from Abkhazia” but being ethnically “Megrelian” rather than “Apsua” (ethnic Abkhaz).
During the conversation, Darsalia is heard agreeing with the blogger as the latter says that during the Abkhazia armed conflict, “there was a genocide of Georgian people; they drove everyone out.” The section, however, doesn’t show Darsalia making the genocide remarks himself.
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