Zviadists
Encyclopedia
Zviadists was an informal name given to supporters of the former Georgian President
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
who was overthrown and died during the Georgian Civil War
of 1991-1993.
President Zviad Gamsakhurdia
was ousted in a bloody coup that destroyed the center of Tbilisi
between 20 December 1991 and 6 January 1992. Zviad Gamsakhurdia
's supporters, the so-called Zviadists staged mass demonstrations against the post-coup government led by the former Communist leader Eduard Shevardnadze
in various parts of Georgia
and organized armed groups which prevented the government forces from taking control of Samegrelo
, the ex-President's home province. Skirmishes between pro- and anti-Gamsakhurdia forces lasted throughout 1992 and 1993 and developed into a full-scale civil war with Gamsakhurdia’s return to Western Georgia in September 1993. Zviadist rebels were defeated and Gamsakhurdia was probably murdered on 31 December 1993.
Gamsakhurdia's body was recovered and his death was confirmed on 15 February 1994.
After Gamsakhurdia's death, the so-called Zviadists never created a single party, but joined various political organizations and social movements, while some of them continued to fight Eduard Shevardnadze
's government.
President of Georgia
The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
who was overthrown and died during the Georgian Civil War
Georgian Civil War
The Georgian Civil War consisted of inter-ethnic and intranational conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , as well as the violent military coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992 against the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his...
of 1991-1993.
President Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
was ousted in a bloody coup that destroyed the center of Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
between 20 December 1991 and 6 January 1992. Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
's supporters, the so-called Zviadists staged mass demonstrations against the post-coup government led by the former Communist leader Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
in various parts of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and organized armed groups which prevented the government forces from taking control of Samegrelo
Samegrelo
Samegrelo/Samargalo or Megrelia, Mingrelia is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi.It is inhabited by the Megrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.-Geography and Climate:...
, the ex-President's home province. Skirmishes between pro- and anti-Gamsakhurdia forces lasted throughout 1992 and 1993 and developed into a full-scale civil war with Gamsakhurdia’s return to Western Georgia in September 1993. Zviadist rebels were defeated and Gamsakhurdia was probably murdered on 31 December 1993.
Gamsakhurdia's body was recovered and his death was confirmed on 15 February 1994.
After Gamsakhurdia's death, the so-called Zviadists never created a single party, but joined various political organizations and social movements, while some of them continued to fight Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
's government.