Chechen Families Lose Refugee Status

Chechen Families Lose Refugee Status

Tbilisi.22.03.05.Media-News. Nearly 80 families of Chechen refugees living in Pankisi gorge have accused the Ministry of Refugees and Settlement of illegally annulling their refugee status.  The representative of the Georgian Public Defender, who runs a special commission in the region of Kakheti established on the initiative of the public defender, have already begun to study their cases.

The cases of 35 of the 80 families have not been considered because of the absence of documentation. As the case emerged, it was found that 12 families were registered in the Akhmeta region.  Representatives of the Public Defender’s office explain that according to article 10, paragraph 2 of the law on Georgian refugees, they don’t have the right to claim refugee status. The commission has sent them official letters denying their request based on this technical requirement.

 The commission must recheck the data of 36 other families in the Supreme Council of Justice in order to make sure that they are not registered as citizens of Georgia.