Imam Hamzat Gitsba shot dead in Abkhazia

Today, at about 1:30 p.m., in the centre of Gudauta (Abkhazia) imam Hamzat (Rocky) Gitsbu and Ruslan Assadulin from Ufa were assassinated. Journalists were informed at the Administration of the Gudauta District that unknown persons drove up in a car and executed Mr Gitsbu and Mr Assadulin point-blank from a sub-machine gun.

Imam Gitsba died immediately, and Assadulin - later in hospital from the received wounds.

We note here that Hamzat Gitsba was a member of the Spiritual Department of Moslems (SDM) of Abkhazia. According to representatives of this Department, "the aims of the SDM are to satisfy the religious needs of the Muslim population of Abkhazia, improve their spiritual-moral and religious educational level, and preserve the inter-regional and inter-confessional peace in the Republic."

The SDM exists on donations of private persons, various organizations and establishments.

According to representatives of the SDM, the Department was prosecuted by law enforcement bodies of Abkhazia and unfairly charged of Wahhabism.

As of today, Abkhazia counts about 200 Moslems and operates two mosques - in Sukhum and Gudauta.