Zaur Avidzba

Zaur Avidzba (1953–2015) was a politician and businessman from Abkhazia who was murdered in 2015.

Early career

In 1993, Avidzba was appointed Deputy Minister for Defence.[1]

Member of Parliament

On 8 February 2011, veteran Parliamentarian Vladimir Nachach died after a long illness.[2] On 9 March the Central Election Commission decided that the by-election to elect Nachach's successor in constituency no. 16 would be held on 30 April.[3] Zaur Avidzba was one of three candidates to be nominated by an initiative group,[4] and he won the election with 1028 votes to 753 and 166.[5]

In the 2012 elections, Avidzba failed to be re-elected. He won a 33.76% first round plurality against i.a. former Prime Minister Anri Jergenia, but lost the second round to Leonid Chamagua.[6][7]

Murder

On 20 October 2015 at 7:35am local time the Ministry for Internal Affairs was informed with a phone call of a burning car in Gudauta's Pushkin Street. In the car, a Mercedes S-600, the corpse of Avidzba was found with burn and bullet wounds along with four spent 7.62mm cartridges.[8][9]

On 22 October, a suspect was detained who confessed to the murder and identified the murder weapon.[10]

References

1. "В Гудауте убит предприниматель, бывший депутат Парламента РА Заур Авидзба". Abaza TV. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
2. "CHAIRMAN OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION, JUDICIAL AND LEGAL REFORM AND STATE BUILDING VLADIMIR NACHACH DIED AFTER SERIOUS ILLNESS". Administration of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia. 8 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
3. "30 апреля состоятся досрочные выборы депутата парламента по Гудаутскому избирательному округу №16". Apsnypress. 9 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
4. "ЦИК зарегистрировала трех кандидатов в депутаты парламента по Гудаутскому избирательному округу №15" (in Russian). Apsnypress. 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
5. "Заур Авидзба избран депутатом парламента по Гудаутскому избирательному округу №16" (in Russian). Apsnypress. 3 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
6. Предварительные итоги выборов депутатов Народного Собрания - Парламента Республики Абхазия. Apsnypress (in Russian). 11 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
7. "Центризбирком объявил предварительные итоги повторного голосования по выборам депутатов парламента Абхазии". Apsnypress. 25 March 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
8. "НА МЕСТЕ УБИЙСТВА БЫВШЕГО ДЕПУТАТ ПАРЛАМЕНТА ЗАУРА АВИДЗБА РАБОТАЕТ ГРУППА ЭКСПЕРТНО-КРИМИНАЛИСТИЧЕСКОГО ЦЕНТРА МВД РА". Abkhazia Inform. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
9. "ОДНА ИЗ ВЕРСИЙ УБИЙСТВА ЗАУРА АВИДЗБА – ЕГО ПРЕДПРИНИМАТЕЛЬСКАЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ". Abkhazia Inform. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
10. "СЛЕДОВАТЕЛИ ЖДУТ РЕЗУЛЬТАТОВ БАЛЛИСТИЧЕСКОЙ ЭКСПЕРТИЗЫ ОРУЖИЯ, ИЗ КОТОРОГО ПРЕДПОЛОЖИТЕЛЬНО БЫЛ УБИТ ЗАУР АВИДЗБА". Abkhazia Inform. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.