Forgotten Victims - Before Bucha, Was Abkhazia

This spring, a Ukrainian TV channel investigating the Bucha genocide reached out to us to inquire about the atrocities committed by Russia in Georgia in the 1990s, reminding us that before Bucha in Ukraine, there was Abkhazia in Georgia.

Unlike now, when modern information technology enables the world to observe the brutalities of Russia in Ukraine through social media, Georgia’s case is different. Russia’s invasion of Georgia happened 30 years ago and went unnoticed - the West was busy celebrating the collapse of the U.S.S.R and saw Russia as a friend, instead of a foe that would eventually become a serious threat to international peace.

In the absence of the internet, the evidence of horrific crimes committed by Russia and its proxies in Georgia was buried in the archives and shelved.

We strongly believe that Georgian victims of Russia’s atrocities deserve to be heard not only by the Georgian public but by the world. It is of great importance to give these survivors a voice, acknowledge their trauma, and raise awareness - Russia’s brutal conduct has a historical pattern that originated long before Bucha. Because of this, we decided to digitalize their stories and give voice to those that have suffered in silence, with the hope of deterring future barbarities.

The campaign is organized by the Liberty Institute, Tabula Media, and the Voter Education Society in Georgia. Donations will go towards further efforts to uncover and document the atrocities, organize events to raise awareness and coordinate domestic and international efforts towards the acknowledgement of genocide by Russia in Abkhazia.

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In 1992-1993, in Abkhazia, 5738 identified Georgians were killed - decapitated, skinned, burnt alive, buried alive, among them 800 raped women;

In one village, 300 women were held captive, regularly raped, and some of them killed by Russian soldiers and its proxies for weeks;

Up to 250 thousand Georgians fled death and still live in exile.