Two suspects in Abkhaz blogger Buava death case remanded in custody

Two men detained in connection with the death of Abkhaz blogger Daur Buava - Givi Gudadze and Saba Bochorishvili - have been remanded in custody.

Both men were detained on drug-related charges. The decision to impose pre-trial detention was made by Judge Davit Kurtanidze.

According to the investigation, Buava and Ukrainian national Valeria Kirilyuk consumed the narcotic substance methadone, which had allegedly been provided by Gudadze. During a search of Gudadze’s home, law enforcement officers seized 6.27 grams of methadone, which investigators said had been divided into nine packets for the purpose of facilitating its distribution.

According to investigators, Bochorishvili had illegally acquired and stored 0.24 grams of dried marijuana at his residence. His lawyer has previously said that Bochorishvili had no connection to Buava’s death and was detained solely over the possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Earlier, Ukrainian national Valeria Kirilyuk was also remanded in custody in connection with the case. She faces charges related to allegedly leaving Buava in a helpless condition. According to the investigation, Buava and Kirilyuk were together at his temporary residence in Tbilisi when they consumed drugs and subsequently became unwell. Investigators allege that Kirilyuk left Buava in a life-threatening condition, locked the apartment from the outside and left without reporting his condition.

Daur Buava, an Abkhaz blogger who had also obtained Georgian citizenship, was found dead in his rented apartment in Tbilisi on August 28. The investigation into his death is ongoing.