Gueorgui Otyrba
Encyclopedia
Gueorgui Otyrba is an Abkhazian politician and academic. He is the current Human Rights Commissioner of Abkhazia and he was acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia between June and July 2004.
, receiving his first degree in 1984, as well as a second degree from the Institute of General History in 1990. He was appointed as a Professor in the Department of Modern History at Abkhazian State University
in the same year, and through the early 1990s, served as a visiting scholar in a number of universities around the world, including Johns Hopkins University
and Maryland University in the United States
and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
in Israel
, often dealing in topics associated with the civil war in his homeland.
These experiences saw Otyrba take an interest in foreign policy, and in 1996, he underwent a course in mediation and human rights monitoring in Austria
. He became involved in trying to establish dialogue between the two sides, and in 1997, was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister of Abkhazia. In the same year, he became Director of the Civil Society Development Centre a non-government organization
based in the city of Gagra
, a position which he held for approximately a year. Otyrba continued to both work in academia and serve as Deputy Foreign Minister for several years, and when long-serving Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba
resigned to run in the 2004 elections, Otyrba was a natural choice to fill in as a temporary replacement. However, the position only lasted for two months before he was replaced by Igor Akhba
on 28 July 2004., and Otyrba has since returned to his prior roles.
In his capacity of acting Foreign Minister, Otyrba headed the Abkhazian delegation to the meeting on repatriation of refugees held 20 July 2004 in Sochi
.
On 3 March 2007, Otyrba was appointed the first Commissioner for Human Rights of Abkhazia by president Sergei Bagapsh
.
Otyrba is a native speaker of Abkhaz
and Russian
, speaks English
fluently, and is also competent in Italian
.
Education and career
Otyrba studied history at the Institute of History and Archives in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, receiving his first degree in 1984, as well as a second degree from the Institute of General History in 1990. He was appointed as a Professor in the Department of Modern History at Abkhazian State University
Abkhazian State University
The Abkhazian State University is the only university in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute...
in the same year, and through the early 1990s, served as a visiting scholar in a number of universities around the world, including Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and Maryland University in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, often dealing in topics associated with the civil war in his homeland.
These experiences saw Otyrba take an interest in foreign policy, and in 1996, he underwent a course in mediation and human rights monitoring in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. He became involved in trying to establish dialogue between the two sides, and in 1997, was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister of Abkhazia. In the same year, he became Director of the Civil Society Development Centre a non-government organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
based in the city of Gagra
Gagra
Gagra is a town in Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains...
, a position which he held for approximately a year. Otyrba continued to both work in academia and serve as Deputy Foreign Minister for several years, and when long-serving Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba
Sergey Shamba
Sergei Miron-ipa Shamba is a former Prime Minister of Abkhazia, in office from 13 February 2010 until 27 September 2011. Before becoming Prime Minister, Shamba had been the long-time Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia - from 7 May 1997, with a half-year interruption in 2004, both under...
resigned to run in the 2004 elections, Otyrba was a natural choice to fill in as a temporary replacement. However, the position only lasted for two months before he was replaced by Igor Akhba
Igor Akhba
Igor Murat-ipa Akhba is the current ambassador of the Republic of Abkhazia to the Russian Federation, and a one time Minister for Foreign Affairs.-Early life and career:...
on 28 July 2004., and Otyrba has since returned to his prior roles.
In his capacity of acting Foreign Minister, Otyrba headed the Abkhazian delegation to the meeting on repatriation of refugees held 20 July 2004 in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
.
On 3 March 2007, Otyrba was appointed the first Commissioner for Human Rights of Abkhazia by president Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was the second President of the Republic of Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and was later elected as President in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election...
.
Otyrba is a native speaker of Abkhaz
Abkhaz language
Abkhaz is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken mainly by the Abkhaz people. It is the official language of Abkhazia where around 100,000 people speak it. Furthermore, it is spoken by thousands of members of the Abkhazian diaspora in Turkey, Georgia's autonomous republic of Adjara, Syria, Jordan...
and Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, speaks English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
fluently, and is also competent in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.