Abkhazia: local woman who was thought kidnapped found dead

The body of Irina Meboniya, born in 1926, an elderly resident of the village of Nabakevi, Gali District of Abkhazia, was found today in the morning some 500 meters away from her house. She disappeared on November 26, but the neighbours reported the fact to the militia a day later.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by Laurens Kogoniya, head of the Gali ROVD (District Militia). He categorically refuted the information spread by Georgian media that traces of torture had been found on Meboniya's body. "Experts have examined the body of the found elderly woman and found no traces of violent death," Mr Kogoniya said.

The law enforcement bodies do not exclude that the death of the elderly woman was unexpected. According to her neighbours, she went to look for her cow in the evening and never came back.

Today, the "Georgia Online" News Agency has disseminated information that "the body of Ira Meboniya, 82, who was kidnapped from Nabakevi village, Gali District, was found" with allegedly "torture traces" revealed.

The Agency notes that "Irina Meboniya was mother of the adviser to Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Abkhazia in exile Zurab Meboniya", and asserts that "the murder was committed with the aim of revenge."

According to the Agency, "earlier the media reported that Abkhazian killers had telephoned to the family and demanded ransom worth 30,000 US dollars."

However, according to the "Georgia Online", "this information was not confirmed by the family of Meboniya. They say that they did not have any telephone calls."