Coordination Council for Overcoming the Political Crisis: Government: Supported by: Collective leadershipAdgur ArdzinbaAslan Bartsits [ab]Kan KvarchiaLevan MikaaEshsou KakaliaTemur Gulia Aslan BzhaniaBadra GunbaAlexander AnkvabLasha AshubaRaul LoluaDmitry KuchuberiaRobert KiutOtar KhetsiaDavid PiliaLeonid Lakerbaia[4] Protests in the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia began on 11 November 2024 after the arrest of five opposition activists who opposed an investment agreement with Russia.

Protesters blocked roads in Sukhumi and attempted to storm the State Security Service building, demanding the release of detainees.

[14] The Abkhaz opposition criticized the bill, calling for "protection of Abkhazia's national interests, its natural resources and wealth, which Bzhania tried to usurp for personal gain".

Abkhaz opposition politician Adgur Ardzinba stated that "this agreement is designed to exempt foreign oligarchs from taxes for up to 25 years ... Why do we need such investment projects that will not bring a penny to the budget for a quarter of a century?"

[15] On 11 November 2024, the People's Assembly of Abkhazia adopted a law on regulating the status of multifunctional complexes on the territory of the country, which, among other things, refers to the investment agreement.

[10] On the evening of November 11, four people were detained by security forces; according to TASS, these were former MPs Garry Kokaya, Almaskhan Ardzinba, Ramaz Jopua, as well as opposition activist Omar Smyr.

He said that "they were returning from a public meeting in the Gudauta District dedicated to the recently signed Russian-Abkhazian agreement on investment activity... they were detained".

"[10] According to the pro-government Telegram channel AMRA-life and to the General Prosecutor's Office of Abkhazia, "the detainees were involved in an incident near the building of the Abkhaz Parliament, during which MP Almas Akaba was beaten.

[13][16] Following the blocking of roads and the attempted storming of the SGB building, Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania held an emergency meeting of the Security Council.

[16] During negotiations with protesters, member of the Public Chamber of Abkhazia Sokrat Jinjolia said that the authorities are ready to release all detained opposition activists in exchange for the opening of bridges.

[15] One of the opposition leaders, Chairman of the Abkhaz People's Movement Adgur Ardzinba reported that a group of MPs came to the speaker and insisted that the issue of ratifying the investment agreement be removed from the agenda.

The chief doctor of the Sukhumi Ambulance Service reported two people were injured in clashes near the Parliament building, but did not specify the cause of their injuries.

[26] The presidential press service said Bzhania was in his home village of Tamishi and rejected claims that he had relocated to a Russian military base after his address.

[32][33] As a result of negotiations, the protesters also returned to the Defense Ministry the military trucks that had been placed around the government building complex by security forces before the unrest began.

One of the opposition leaders, at a meeting with Acting Defense Minister Beslan Tsvizhba, said that "military equipment should be used to ensure the security of the republic and should be where it belongs," but not to counter popular discontent.

A representative of the opposition, the chairman of the Aruaa organization, Temur Gulia, said that "we cannot leave things as they are, because we are thinking about the people and the state, which must live" and that civil servants should take their jobs and work again starting on Monday.

According to the press service of President Bzhania, "a group of unknown persons in 15 cars opened fire in the air in the immediate vicinity of the Abkhaz television studio while employees were inside, thereby creating a tense situation."

According to another version of the president's information center, the shooting was opened by security personnel to protect themselves from "a group of persons presumably representing opposition forces" who arrived there to establish control over the broadcast.

[40] On the evening of 18 November, under the moderation of the Speaker of Parliament Lasha Ashuba, direct negotiations between representatives of the government and the opposition began in the building of the Ministry of Defense.

Bzhania's side is represented at the meeting by Vice President Badra Gunba, Chairman of the State Customs Committee Otar Khetsia and member of the Public Chamber David Pilia.

[41] It has been reported that the Russian backed militia, the Wild Division, which has been fighting in the Donbas since 2014, were sent to Abkhazia, with their commander Akhra Avidzba posting about his return on Facebook.

[44] On 28 November 2024, the People's Assembly of Abkhazia announced that new presidential elections would be held on 15 February 2025, with the winner to be inaugurated within the next 30 days of the results being declared.

[46] Abkhazia had been purchasing electricity from Russia since November 1 to address an energy deficit caused by low water levels at the Enguri dam, which powers the region’s largest hydroelectric facility.

However, the imported electricity from Russia was insufficient to meet the region’s needs, leading authorities to impose daily 10-hour power cuts starting Monday.

[47] On December 11, the Enguri hydroelectric power station, partially located in Abkhazia, ceased operations due to critically low water levels in a nearby reservoir, according to an Abkhaz energy company.

Moscow scaled back financial support, including funding for the energy sector, after Abkhazia's local council rejected a proposed investment agreement with Russia.

[48] On December 11, Adgur Kharazia, a member of parliament and former mayor of Sukhumi, allegedly fire shot on his political rivals inside the People's Assembly of Abkhazia, killing lawmaker Vakhtang Golandzia and injuring another, Kan Kvarchia, before fleeing the scene.