15 June 2009, 22:00
Three refugees from Abkhazia knocked down by a car at UN Mission
Three participants of the protest action held on Monday by refugees from Abkhazia near the building housing the United Nations' Mission in Tbilisi were injured in a road accident.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the refugees' action was dated to the sitting of the UN Security Council to consider the issue of extending the UN Mission's mandate in Georgia. Deputies of the Supreme Soviet body of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic (AAR) in exile are also taking part in the action.
After protesters had blocked the roadway, three young men in a black "Toyota" jeep demanded to open the way for them and then tried to break through the live barrier and knocked down three women, as reported by "News-Georgia".
According to local media, when people tried to run after the car, several pistol shots were made from inside the jeep. The participants of the action said that they know the car's registration number, the "Georgia Today" notes.
The victims were brought to hospital, one of the women is still unconscious. Presumably, the jeep passengers were drunk.
As reported by Raul Kiriya, press secretary of the AAR's Supreme Soviet, "the action that did not stop after the accident and is still held at the UN Mission, has brought together about 200 persons."
One of the protesters - Ramaz Aroniya, a native of the Gali District of Abkhazia, - has sewn up his mouth and announced a termless hunger strike. He demands to punish those guilty of the road accident.
