A court in Sukhumi has placed three participants in the incident involving political strategists under house arrest.

Harry Kokaia, Almaskhan Ardzinba, and Khyna Dumava have been placed under house arrest in connection with the incident at the Abkhazian Herald newspaper's offices. The defendants disagreed with the court's decision.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, three Russian political strategists were detained on November 5, 2025, on the eve of municipal elections, at the office of the pro-presidential newspaper Abkhazian Herald, which was being published without permits. According to Abkhazian media, the political strategists were expelled from the republic. In late December, a court in Sukhumi found the actions of Russian political strategist Ivan Reva before the municipal elections to be violations of electoral law and fined him under three administrative offenses. In early February, Eshsou Kakalia and Aslan Kmuzov, participants in the incident involving the political strategists, were given a preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the country and to behave properly. The opposition demanded that the "Team Abkhazia" candidates, for whom Russians had been campaigning, be removed from the municipal elections. On November 24, it was announced that three suspects had been placed on the federal wanted list in a criminal case involving an armed robbery in Abkhazia (against the Russian political strategists). "The involvement of Kan Kvarchia, Eshsou Kakali, and Khyn Dumav in the crime has been confirmed and has been placed on the federal wanted list," according to a statement on the website of the Sochi Department of Internal Affairs of the Krasnodar Krai Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Damages are estimated at 1.9 million rubles. The municipal elections, in which a team of Russian political strategists arrived, were aimed at eradicating political competition, and opposition representatives who interfered with the election results have been prosecuted in Russia, Abkhazian politicians stated, calling on the president to protect citizens' rights and the republic's sovereignty. Abkhazian President Badra Gunba stated that Abkhazian citizens, regardless of the crime they are suspected of committing, are not subject to extradition to another country in accordance with the Constitution.

Abkhazian citizens Garry Kokaia, Almaskhan Ardzinba, and Khina Dumava voluntarily appeared at the Sukhum prosecutor's office today to testify. The prosecutor's office filed a motion with the capital's court requesting house arrest for the three activists, the AIASHARA Telegram channel reported.

Almaskhan Ardzinba's lawyer, Marina Tania, disagreed with the prosecutor's office's submission. She noted that the case lacks direct or even indirect evidence implicating her client in the crime he is accused of.

Taniya noted that her client was not mentioned in the initial testimony. The lawyer called the case materials absurd and unsupported by any evidence. Almaskhan Ardzinba supported his lawyer.

Despite the defense's arguments, Judge Aida Bartsits granted the prosecutor's motion and ordered house arrest for two months, until April 12. Almaskhan Ardzinba is also prohibited from using a telephone, mobile phones, or the internet.

The judge also granted the prosecutor's motion for house arrest for Garri Kokai, a member of the sixth convocation of the Abkhaz parliament. She rejected the lawyer's argument that the names, surnames, and full personal data of 10 citizens, including Garry Kokai, only emerged after an international request from the Prosecutor General's Office sent on December 22.

Regarding public figure Khyn Dumava, the Sukhumi court, according to the lawyer, failed to take into account that he is the sole breadwinner in his family and also granted the prosecutor's request for house arrest for two months.