Rights of Refugees are not Defended in Georgia

Rights of Refugees are not Defended in Georgia

Chechen Refugees Are not Allowed to Move to the Third Country

Two Chechen women have been going on hunger-strike for almost three weeks in Pankisi Gorge. As the health conditions of one of the women worsened, she was taken to hospital of Akhmeta Region. Hunger-strikers demand to give them permission to move to the third country as promised by the UN High Commission on Refugees. However, in spite of their protest, UNHCR neither responds to Chechens’ demands nor give them official document about refusal.

Two women have been going on hunger-strike for almost three weeks in Pankisi Gorge. They demand permission for moving to the third country from the UN High Commission on Refugees. Beka Mindiashvili, the head of the Division of Liberty and Equality in Public Defender’s Office, who personally met hunger-strikers, stated in the interview with Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre, that “Zola Ozueva, one of the women, demands the official document, according to which she has no right to move to the third country. According to Mrs. Ozueva, she was promised to move to the third country without any problem. Though, later it was found out, that three countries (the Netherlands, Ireland and Canada) refused to receive her. So, she demands the official document of refusal. Mrs. Ozueva stated, that in case of receiving official letter, she will stop hunger-strike. Mrs. Khalipad Okueva, the other hunger-striker, had been operated before and she was taken to hospital of Akhmeta because her health situation worsened significantly. She is not satisfied with the living conditions in Duisi and she wants to arrive in Tbilisi as she was also refused to move to the third country.”

It must be mentioned, that Chechen refugees express their suspicion towards the UNHCR and blame them in corruption. According to their information, there are many facts observed, when Georgians were moved to the third country as Chechen refugees.

Couple of days ago the representatives of Public Defender’s Office met Urara Furukava, the head of Legal Service of the UNHCR, who stated, that it was impossible to send them the official documentation they demanded, because they did not have relevant sources. And to justify herself she added, that she could not speak by the name of the third country. It deepened the suspicion of Chechen refugees, that they had not even sent any documentation to the mentioned countries.

Mrs. Urara Furukava went to Pankisi to search the situation better. Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre contacted Mrs. Furukava, who avoided answering the concrete questions and gave general replies: “If refugees are in normal circumstances, they can not request resettlement in a specific country. But in the interests of family reunification, refugees may request resettlement in countries where their close family members are living”.

In spite of Mrs. Furukava’s visit to Pankisi, the demands of refugees have not been satisfied yet and they are still going on hunger-strike. It’s possible that their health condition will worsen again.

Keti Kuratashvili