“Justice pursues the body beyond all possible suffering” — Michel Foucault.

How did Abkhaz society resolve conflicts before the emergence of courts? Who had the authority to judge, and what did their word mean? What did reconciliation look like, and how did it differ from forgiveness?

The discussion will begin with a talk by Viktor Avidzba — historian, ethnologist, and researcher at AbIGI — on how traditional mechanisms of justice functioned. This will be followed by an open conversation: questions, parallels with the present day, and personal stories.