Sukhum. 18 June 2018. Abkhazia-Inform. Recurrently media and social network platforms incorporate real-time information on acts of homicide. These cases often include women, who fall victim to the violence of their relatives.

Asida Shakryl: It is necessary to stop criminal mobocracy in the country. Year after year our society is shocked by the terrible news of murders and fatal violence in the context of family relationships. Women are killed by family members, who thus decide to protect their honor, degraded, as they consider, by the behavior of these women. At the same time, it is necessary to point out that the assessment of moral principles and values does not belong in a legal field. Therefore, any personal attitudes regarding those matters should not affect the work of law enforcement agencies. Only the law of the Republic of Abkhazia must determine the degree of guilt and the degree of responsibility for any illegal activity. I leave open the question of whether murder and violence against women, who in most cases were mothers to young children, can serve as a means of safeguarding family honor. To what degree do these "methods" correspond to the ethical norms of the Abkhaz society, how do they correlate with the principles of “Apsuara”- an ancient moral code, that’s been regulating our society for centuries? In my opinion, Abkhazian traditions have nothing to do with what is happening now.

Another matter of concern is the reaction of law enforcement agencies to the shocking acts of extrajudicial killings. Almost in all cases, with few exceptions, the prosecution authorities did not carry out all the necessary investigative measures nor did they initiate criminal proceedings. If the cases were initiated, after all, they were cut short and withheld from the court for unclear reasons, consequently leaving the perpetrators unpunished. The only exceptions were cases when the offenders themselves voluntarily surrendered to the law enforcement agencies.

Considering the negative effects that such crimes can bring about for the young generation and society as a whole, and the very fact that the decline in such crimes does not occur, I find it necessary to reinvestigate the cases that were cut short over the course of few years. The cases of femicide should be reassessed according to the severity of the crimes committed. If a manifestation of negligence is revealed during the investigation, which has led to the concealment of a crime, higher officials in the internal affairs bodies and the prosecutor's office should be held accountable.

The opportunity to escape punishment for the committed murder may give rise to new series of crimes. It is a direct responsibility of the law enforcement agencies to prevent this from happening. I associate the observed increase in the number of lynching acts in the country with the fact that the law enforcement agencies do not adequately cope with their duties, while authorities and society fail to undertake an appropriate assessment of the criminal situation. Thus, practically in front of our eyes, lawlessness is being carried out. Without trial and investigation, the actual executions of women take place, while their close relatives act as lynchers.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a system aimed at the prevention of gender-related violence on a state level. Law enforcement officials should be informed on their role in preventing such crimes and on the importance of disclosure in criminal proceedings. There should be clear response tools to such offenses. Detailed instructions for their correct qualification and effective investigation need to be developed. Improving the effectiveness of law enforcement and justice officers in combating gender-related violence must be a top priority for law enforcement officials. This work cannot be delayed any further.

No one should put up with the current situation when in addition to the murdered woman, all family members and especially the orphaned children become victims of the events. As a consequence, the whole society suffers, since silence constitutes indirect participation in the crime. This in no way contributes to social health, with all the negative consequences to follow.