Law enforcement in Abkhazia

Law enforcement in Abkhazia is now de jure the responsibility of the International Police [ Abkhazia: Ways Forward, Europe Report N°179 , 18 January 2007 ] and the United Nations as the international organizations such as United Nations (28 Security Council Resolutions), EC, OSCE, NATO, WTO, Council of the European Union, CIS as well as most sovereign states do not recognize Abkhazia as an independent state. As a result, Abkhazia is "de facto" independent but remains a "de jure" part of Georgia, with internal security somewhat precarious.Fact|date=July 2007 It has its own law enforcement organizations such as "militia" (police) that is subject to the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of the de facto government.

International role in security

The UN has played various roles during the conflict and peace process: a military role through its observer mission (UNOMIG); dual diplomatic roles through the Security Council and the appointment of a Special Envoy, succeeded by a Special Representative to the Secretary-General; a humanitarian role (UNHCR and UNOCHA); a development role (UNDP); a human rights role (UNCHR); and a low-key capacity and confidence-building role (UNV). The UN’s position has been that there will be no forcible change in international borders. Any settlement must be freely negotiated and based on autonomy for Abkhazia legitimized by referendum under international observation once the multi-ethnic population has returned. [Resolutions 849, 854, 858, 876, 881 and 892 adopted by the UN Security Council] OSCE expressed concern and condemnation over ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia during the 1994 Budapest Summit Decision [From the Resolution of the OSCE Budapest Summit, 6 December 1994 [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/oscelisb.htm] ] and later at the Lisbon Summit Declaration in 1996. [Lisbon Summit Declaration of the OSCE, 2-3 December 1996 ] OSCE has increasingly engaged in dialogue with officials and civil society representatives in Abkhazia, especially from NGOs and the media, regarding human dimension standards and is considering a presence in Gali (town).

Existing government organizations

Georgia regards the Abkhaz militia as unlawful formations. In the current situation, agencies attempted to enforce any kind of security or law on behalf of the Abkhazian government is met with opposition, sometimes force, from Georgian forces. Such was the case on July 26 2006 when Georgian police announced that they had engaged "criminal gangs", Abkhazian militia, on the de facto border. [Global Security news article [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2006/07/mil-060726-rianovosti08.htm "Police operation in Abkhazia gorge continuing - Georgia"] retrieved May 29 2007]

ee also

*Military of Abkhazia

Notes