Giorgi Jincharadze: I know that Giorgi Baramidze could withhold his statements, but he chose to publish them voluntarily

“Giorgi Baramidze’s statement is anti-state and insults our war heroes,” stated the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, Giorgi Jincharadze.

According to him, Baramidze’s statement is treacherous and serves as a manifestation of foreign agency.

“Today we pay tribute to our heroes, the servicemen and civilians who sacrificed their lives for our country. August 14, 1992, marks one of the most tragic dates in our recent history.

As for Giorgi Baramidze’s statement itself, it was a deliberate, treacherous act. I have information that Baramidze was offered the chance to block the broadcast, but he chose to let it go ahead.

It happened because this is, essentially, a manifestation of a foreign agency; it is an anti-state statement. It insults the heroes whose names are engraved on the Heroes’ Memorial, as well as the memory of those individuals and fighters who laid down their lives for the unity of our country. It hardly merits further comment. If you observe closely over recent days, there has been no condemnation of this treacherous action even from opposition channels, because it forms part of their unified objective to insult every Georgian and defile the memory of the heroes who served our country with honour,” Jincharadze stated.

For context, the Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into high treason and sabotage in connection with Giorgi Baramidze’s statement.

The investigation concerns comments made by one of the leaders of the United National Movement, Gia Baramidze, who claimed that “during the war in Abkhazia, Georgian soldiers executed prisoners, which is why the Abkhaz side refused to hand over captives.”