Lakoba, Nestor Apollonovich

Soviet public and party figure, de-facto leader of Abkhazia in 1920s and 1930s.

Born May 1, 1893, in the village of Lykhny (now in Abkhazia), in a poor family of a peasant. In 1911, expelled from Tbilisi Clerical Seminary for revolutionary propagations. In 1912, joined the Communist Party. Conducted party activities in Ajaria, Abkhazia, and later in the Northern Caucasus. In May 1917, was the delegate of the First Caucasian Regional Congress of the Soviets. IN 1918, was one of the leaders of an uprising against the Georgian Menshevik government, a deputy chairman of Sukhumi military and revolutionary committee, and a guerilla detachment organizer. In late 1918, out to jail of the city of Sukhumi by the Menshevik government; in spring of 1919, was deported from Georgia. In 1920, at the assignment of the Caucasian bureau of Central Committee of Russian Communist Party of Bolsheviks headed an illegal Bolshevik organization in Batumi, was the Kuban - Black Sea Revolutionary Committee's Commissioner for the Highlander Affairs. Since March 1921, was the deputy chairman of Abkhazia Revolutionary Committee and Abkhazia's People's Commissar for the Navy. Since February 1922, was the chairman of the People's Commissars' Council of Abkhazian ASSR (Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic); in 1930 thru 1936, was the chairman of Central Executive Committee of Abkhazian ASSR. Member of the Central Executive Committee of Georgian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic), Central Executive Committee of Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Central Executive Committee of the USSR, member of the Central Committee bureau of Communist Party of Bolsheviks of Georgia. Delegate of 13th, 15th, 16th, and 17th congresses of All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. Awarded the Lenin Order (orden Lenina) and two other orders.

Died suddenly on December 28, 1936. According to some data, was poisoned by L.P. Beria's personal order. Was buried ceremoniously in Sukhumi. Later, was posthumously declared "the enemy of the people". Rehabilitated in late 1950s.