Aslan Georgievich Bzhania ( ab, Аслан Гьаргь-иҧа Бжьаниа, ka, ასლან გიორგის-ძე ბჟანია, russian: Аслан Георгиевич Бжания; born 6 April 1963) has been
President of Abkhazia
The position of president of Abkhazia was created in 1994. Before the office of president was created the head of state position was known as the chairman of Parliament between 1992 and the creation of the 1994 constitution. Before the position ...
since 23 April 2020. He was the Head of the
State Security Service from 2010 to 2014, and one of the leaders of the opposition in
Abkhazia
Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...
from 2016.
He ran in the 2019 presidential election, but was forced to withdraw due to poisoning. He won the subsequent
2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
.
Early life
Bzhania was born on 6 April 1963 in the village of Tamysh,
Ochamchira District
Ochamchira District is a district of the partially recognised Abkhazia. Its capital is Ochamchire, the town by the same name. The district is smaller than the Ochamchire district in the de jure subdivision of Georgia, as some of its former terri ...
. In 1985, he graduated from the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction University.
Early career
Between 1991 and 1993, Bzhania worked for the
State Security Service of Abkhazia. In 1994, he became a businessman in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. In 1998, he graduated from the
Academy of National Economy under the President of the Russian Federation. Between 1 January 2009 and 24 February 2010, Bzhania served as advisor to the Abkhazian Embassy in Moscow.
State Security Service Head (2010–2014)
On 23 February 2010, following the re-election of Abkhazian President
Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh, ka, სერგეი ბაგაფში, russian: Сергей Васильевич Багапш, translit=Sergey Vasilyevich Bagapsh (4 March 1949 – 29 May 2011) was an Abkhaz politician who served as th ...
, he appointed Bzhania has head of the State Security Service, replacing
Iuri Ashuba.
Following Bagapsh's death in 2011, Bzhania was re-appointed by his successor
Alexander Ankvab
Aleksandr Zolotinskovich Ankvab ( ; ab, Алықьсандр Золотинска-иԥа Анқәаб, ka, ალექსანდრე ზოლოტინსკის ძე ანქვაბი, russian: Алекса́ндр Золот ...
.
2014 Revolution and presidential election
In 2014, after the
May revolution
The May Revolution ( es, Revolución de Mayo) was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This Spanish colony included roughly the terri ...
against Ankvab, Bzhania became the candidate of the outgoing government in the
subsequent Presidential election, running with
Astan Agrba
Astan ( fa, آستان, also Romanized as Āstān; also known as Āstāneh) is a village in Rudbar Rural District, in the Central District of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, ...
as vice presidential candidate. The pair was nominated by an initiative group on 2 July
and received the support of the political party
Amtsakhara
Amtsakhara ( ab, Амцахара) is the main opposition party in Abkhazia.
Foundation
On 31 March 1999, Amtsakhara was founded on the initiative of Sergei Dbar, Vladimir Nachach, Aki Ardzinba and Garik Samanba and a number of others as a pu ...
,
former Vice President
Mikhail Logua
Mikhail Valerievich Logua (russian: Михаил Валерьевич Логуа born 27 July 1970) is an Abkhaz politician who has been Vice President of Abkhazia from 2011 until 2013. He previously served as Governor of Gulripshi District from ...
and part of the campaign staff of nominee
Beslan Eshba
Beslan Eshba is a vice premier of Abkhazia and the head of a sociopolitical organization Apsadgyl ( ab, Апсадгьыл). Prior to his current position, he was a deputy commander in the Sukhumi battalion and an advisor to the President of Abk ...
, who had been barred from running.
On 21 July, a group of citizens petitioned the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
to declare Bzhania's registration invalid, as it claimed he had not satisfied the five-year residency requirement, having lived in Moscow until February 2010. The case was dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired.
Bzhania lost the election in the first round to opposition leader
Raul Khajimba
Raul Jumkovich Khajimba ( ab, Рауль Џьумка-иҧа Ҳаџьымба, ka, რაულ ჯუმკას-ძე ჰაჯიმბა; born 21 March 1958) is an Abkhazian politician, and served as President of Abkhazia from 25 September ...
, coming in second place with 35.88% of the votes.
Opposition leader
On 3 December 2016, Bzhania was detained by Russian border guards before crossing the border into Abkhazia. The event triggered protests by the Abkhazian opposition, who alleged Bzhania had been arrested on behest of the Abkhazian authorities.
On 4 December, President Khajimba asked the Russian Ambassador in Abkhazia to facilitate Bzhania's release.
In the evening, Bzhania was released and allowed to cross the border. In a press conference on 6 December, Bzhania stated that he had no direct evidence of involvement by the Abkhazian government, but claimed that while detained, he was approached by a man in civilian clothes who said he was instructed to inform him that he constituted a threat to both the Russian and the Abkhazian state. He also described how he had been subjected to multiple alcohol and drugs tests, and how his personal weapon, munition and license were subjected to close scrutiny.
Presidential elections
In 2019 Bzhania entered the
2019 Abkhazian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia in 2019. As no candidate gathered more than 50% of the votes in the first round 25 August, a second was held on 8 September between the top two candidates, incumben ...
and was considered a favorite candidate. However he was admitted to a hospital in Moscow in a severe condition in April 2019, with the presence of a large dose of mercury and aluminum in his blood, leading to allegations of poisoning on political grounds. He remained in the clinic through May, his respiratory system and speech impaired.
As a result, he withdrew from the election on 15 July.
Raul Khajimba
Raul Jumkovich Khajimba ( ab, Рауль Џьумка-иҧа Ҳаџьымба, ka, რაულ ჯუმკას-ძე ჰაჯიმბა; born 21 March 1958) is an Abkhazian politician, and served as President of Abkhazia from 25 September ...
went on to win the election, but this prompted protests and in January 2020 the
Abkhazian Supreme Court
Abkhaz and Abkhazian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Abkhazia, a de facto independent region with partial recognition as a sovereign state, otherwise recognized as part of Georgia
* Abkhaz people or Abkhazians, persons from Abkh ...
annulled the results.
Khajimba resigned the presidency on 12 January, and
new elections were called for 22 March. Bzhania entered these elections and won with 59% of the vote.
The
2021 Abkhazia unrest is against the President.
References
Notes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bzhania, Aslan
Living people
1963 births
People from Ochamchira District
Chairmen of the State Security Service of Abkhazia
Candidates in the 2014 Abkhazian presidential election
Candidates in the 2020 Abkhazian presidential election
Presidents of Abkhazia
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration alumni