Initiative group members claim threat to Ruslan Gvashev's life

Activists of Abkhaz NGOs are preparing a rally in support of Ruslan Gvashev. He is ready to die and runs consciously to that. This was reported by David Dasaniya, the leader of the project "The Caucasus is our common case".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that starting September 11, Ruslan Gvashev, 67, a former chairman of the Council of Elders of Circassians-Shapsugs, is holding an unlimited hunger strike in protest of the judgement to fine him for a prayer he administered at the Tulip Tree.

A rally in support of Shapsug elder Ruslan Gvashev, to be held on September 27 on the Sukhumi's liberation day in Glory Park, will begin with the laying of flowers at the memorial. This was reported at a press conference on September 25 by members of the initiative group who visited Ruslan Gvashev in the village of Bolshoi Kichmai.

In case if the protesters fail to achieve positive results with regard to Ruslan Gvashev, some of the protesters will go on hunger strike, David Dasaniya stated.

"Ruslan Gvashev requires an elementary apology. If we are not heard, then literally in the near future a group of people will be determined to go to Bolshoi Kichmai and start a hunger strike together with Ruslan Gvashev," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by David Dasaniya.

According to him, Ruslan Gvashev is ready to die and runs consciously to that.

"Imagine that, God forbid, Ruslan Gvashev will die. Uncontrolled actions and unauthorized rallies will begin in the whole Circassian world. We act as patriots of Russia and do not want a bad situation in Southern Russia. We stand for peace in the Caucasus," David Dasaniya stated.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.