Judge Admits He was “Forced” to Revise Ruling over Abkhaz Polls

Judge of Abkhaz Supreme Court Giorgi Akaba said on October 29 that he was “forced” to revise his decision and annul October 3 presidential elections, which declared opposition candidate Sergey Bagapsh president-elect.

Several hours before this ruling, late on October 28, the Supreme Court confirmed the results of the elections, which declared Bagapsh President-elect. The decision was followed by protests by pro-governmental candidate Raul Khajimba’s supporters, who stormed the court’s building.

“A crowd broke into the [court] building. It was absolutely impossible to work and I had to revise my decision in order to save the lives of those [people] who were in the building by that time,” Giorgi Akaba said at a specially convened news conference.

In a revised ruling the Supreme Court has also ordered the Central Election Commission of the unrecognized republic to hold repeat presidential polls on the entire territory of Abkhazia within two months, as was demanded by the pro-governmental presidential candidate Raul Khajimba.