Prominent Abkhazian Journalist and Writer Vitaly Sharia Passes Away at 72
Vitaly Sharia (1951-2024), esteemed Abkhazian journalist, writer, and editor-in-chief of "Echo of Abkhazia".
SUKHUM / AQW'A ― Vitaly Sharia, a distinguished journalist, writer, and publicist, has passed away at the age of 72. Born on 26 December 1951 in Smolensk, Sharia leaves behind a rich legacy in Abkhazian journalism and literature.
Sharia graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at the Belarusian State University in 1974. His journalistic career in Abkhazia began in 1975 as a correspondent and head of department for the newspaper "Soviet Abkhazia". During the Georgian-Abkhazian War of 1992-93, Sharia served as a frontline journalist, later becoming the deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Republic of Abkhazia".
In 1994, Sharia founded the independent weekly socio-political newspaper "Echo of Abkhazia", serving as its editor-in-chief for 30 years. His journalistic work extended beyond Abkhazia, with contributions to various Soviet and Russian publications, including "Komsomolskaya Pravda", "Pravda", "Izvestia", and "Literary Gazette".
He was a regular contributor to RFE/RL's Ekho Kavkaza (Echo of the Caucasus) website. AbkhazWorld frequently translated and reposted these articles, making his insightful reporting accessible to a wider audience. He was also one of the authors of the book "Abkhazia: 1992-2022: Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict & War", further cementing his role as a key chronicler of Abkhazian history and current affairs.
Sharia's literary achievements were equally notable. He authored the historical-publicist book "The Abkhazian Tragedy", which investigated the causes of the Georgian-Abkhazian war. His prose works, including novellas and short stories, were published in both Russian and Abkhazian periodicals, with some translated into Armenian and Ossetian. Sharia's collection "Bouquet of Abkhazia" received an honorary diploma in the "Prose" category of the Fazil Iskander International Prize in 2017. In 2020, he won the Iskander Prize in the "Tree of Childhood" category for his science fiction story "The Time Machine".
For his journalistic work during 1992-1993, Sharia was awarded the "Chronicle of War" prize by the Association of Intelligentsia of Abkhazia for his efforts to convey the truth about the Patriotic War of the people of Abkhazia to Russian readers.
Sharia was a member of both the Union of Journalists and the Union of Writers of Abkhazia. His contributions to Abkhazian literature and journalism have been recognised by writers such as Vadim Kozhinov and Alexey Gogua.
The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Abkhazia has expressed its deep condolences to Sharia's family.
As AbkhazWorld, we also express our heartfelt condolences to Vitaly Sharia's family and friends. His passing is a significant loss to Abkhazian journalism and literature. Sharia's dedication to truth-telling and his literary contributions will be remembered and cherished by many in Abkhazia and beyond.