The health condition of Irakli Bebua, a Georgian citizen detained by the de facto authorities of Abkhazia, has worsened. It is essential to release him promptly to prevent critical deterioration of his health and protect his safety and life.

According to Irakli Bebua's family, he is enduring harsh prison conditions. Irakli's health was already frail before his arrest, and the situation has worsened. His chronic illnesses have been aggravated by the restrictions of movement in Gali, preventing him from accessing necessary medical treatment for nearly four years. Although his health has been assessed in the Abkhazian prison, the examinations remain incomplete due to the absence of appropriate medical infrastructure. As per Irakli Bebua's family, the inability to comprehensively examine his condition hampers the ability to prescribe the proper and adequate treatment. Irakli's condition continues to deteriorate, with him experiencing severe head and lower back pain and an intense psychological condition during this period.

Irakli Bebua was arrested on September 30, 2020, in Abkhazia, near the House of Culture, for burning the Abkhazian flag. In a video purportedly depicting an interrogation by the law enforcement agencies of the de facto government, Bebua confesses to the act of burning the Abkhazian flag. He made it clear that he doesn't hold any grudges against the Abkhazians and oppositely supports friendly relations, claiming that burning the flag was a protest against the separation. Following Bebua's arrest, the de facto police in Abkhazia searched his residence. Allegedly, during the investigation they discovered a hand grenade which, according to the "police," Bebua's grandfather had been keeping beneath his pillow. Due to this, the de facto prosecutor's office increased Bebua's sentence. On December 7, the de facto court of Abkhazia rendered a guilty verdict against Irakli Bebua. He was convicted under Article 217 (illegal acquisition and storage of weapons), Article 164, 2 (deliberate destruction of other people's property), and Article 334 (insulting the state flag) of the Criminal Code. In accordance with the rules of sentencing, he received a 9-year prison term and a fine of 10,000 rubles.

In adherence to Abkhazian punishment regulations (which reduce the term of actual serving in prison of the imposed sentence by two times for crimes of this category), Irakli Bebua is currently left with one year and five months before his potential release. On the 30th anniversary of the "victory in the war" in Abkhazia, an amnesty was declared for various crimes. However, reports from Irakli's family members suggest that this amnesty will not extend to him, as the de facto authorities hold a resolute stance regarding his case.

The family of Irakli Bebua maintains ongoing communication with the Georgian State Security Service, and his case has been discussed in the context of international negotiations in Geneva. Despite repeated assurances and commitments, family members have expressed frustration over the government's inability to secure an agreement with the de facto authorities for Irakli's release.

Considering the above, we call on the Government of Georgia to:

• Strengthen their efforts within the international community to secure the release of Irakli Bebua and protect his fundamental rights.
• Utilize all available channels of communication, both formal and informal, to engage with the de facto authorities of Abkhazia with the primary objective of Irakli Bebua's release and facilitating his return to Tbilisi.
• Before resolving the issue of Irakli Bebua's release, in the best interests of protecting his health and rights, the Georgian authorities need to conduct negotiations with the de-facto government of Abkhazia and, if necessary, provide appropriate medical equipment/medicines and implement other essential interventions.

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