In Abkhazia, kidnappers release an elderly resident of Gali District

Today, Goneri Badzagua, 70, a resident of the village of Nabakevi, Gali District of Abkhazia, who was kidnapped on November 22, was set free. Under preliminary information, the kidnappers extorted money from Mr Badzagua.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by the head of the Gali District Interior department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Abkhazia, they could not yet talked with the victim, as Badzagua was severely beaten, and his relatives placed him to Zugdidi hospital (in Georgia). It is known that the kidnapped man was engaged in procurement of meat in adjacent villages.

In the opinion of Laurens Kogoniya, Badzagua's return was possible because of the operative-search actions taken. "Militiamen managed to pick up the trail of the criminals, and those, frightened, released their captive. In the interests of the inquiry, I can't name the criminals, as their crime is still investigated," Mr Kogoniya has emphasized.

We remind you that Goneri Badzagua was kidnapped from his own house in Nabakevi village, located in the pre-border Gali District of Abkhazia, on November 22; and his relatives notified the militia about it only next morning.

They reported that two unknown men in masks and civil clothes, armed with automatic firearms, attacked Badzagua's house, forced him into a farm wagon and disappeared. The neighbours tried to help him, but the attackers opened shooting in the air. According to the eyewitnesses, the kidnappers spoke the Mingrelian language.