GEORGIA

PM Garibashvili meets with Carl Hartzell to hand over the EU Questionnaire's Second Part. Photo: Georgian Government's Press Office Georgia Submitted  the second part of the EU membership questionnaire on May 10. This part contains several questions about asylum process so we can expect improvement in this field. These are list of questions in EU  Questionnaire for Georgia: Q. Please provide information on legislation or other rules governing the asylum policy.  Q. Describe the asylum procedure at first and second instances: a) Normal, exceptional (for instance border) and accelerated procedures; b) Provide number and types of appeals during the last five years; c) Explain which bodies are competent for each type of appeal possible to make use of; d) Provide assessment of the average duration of the procedures; e) Identification of services involved and number of staff dedicated to asylum procedures; f) Methodology for gathering country of origin information.  Q. Is ...

  photo: parliment.ge The Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of parliament of Georgia discusses the Bill on International Protection in an expedited manner. According to the bill expulsion of refused asylum seeker shall be admissible.  According to one of the initiators of the Bill on International Protection, Guram Macharashvili the foreign citizen or a stateless person shall not be considered an asylum-seeker and shall not be subject to the non-expulsion principle as stipulated under the Law if his/her application for the commencement of the asylum procedures and repeated international protection has been declined under the individual administrative-legal act, parliament.ge reports.  “The extradition of a hereof person to a foreign state or his/her expulsion from Georgia shall be admissible. The same regulations shall apply in case of the recall of the claim or the appeal by the asylum-seeker, appeal of the Court ruling on the hereof claim, and the re-appea...

  On March 1, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia within the first hearing discussed the draft law of Georgia on Amending the Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons, submitted by the Member of Parliament of Georgia Mikheil Sarjveladze through a legislative initiative. The legislative initiative mainly determines that:  The circle of persons applying for a residence permit on the basis of family reunification will be narrowed and be limited only to the spouse, minor child, and minor parent of a foreigner or stateless person with status in Georgia;  After living in Georgia for 6 years, if there are grounds for obtaining a permanent residence permit, the foreigner will be able to extend the temporary residence permit for up to 12 years;  Only an investment residence permit, a special residence permit, and a temporary residence permit can be obtained on the basis of an ordinary category C visa.  It is reasonable to establish by law t...

Based on my observations, in general, Iranian asylum seekers can be classified into 5 groups: 1 - Activists: Those who are wanted for political or civil activities in Iran. 2- Sensitive: They are tired of the bad social situation and lies and deceit in clerical regime, but they do not have enough money or expertise to immigrate, so they seek refuge. 3. Garbage: They want to immigrate, they have enough money and facilities, but they apply for asylum because they want to immigrate at a lower cost.  4- Criminals: Those who have committed a crime in Iran and because of which they cannot get a police certificate to apply for residency, so they apply for asylum. 5- Officers: These people chose a way to seek refuge  under the guidance of a security-intelligence agency in Iran. They do and follow certain projects. The most unfortunate asylum seekers are in the first group. They have no support, and immigration officials in Georgia have recently encountered Iranian asylum seeker...

Usually business is stagnating in winter and we are waiting for March but this year the spring has been as worse as former season and there is not any tourist in the country due to COVID 19 situation.    The long recession has wiped out all financial resources and savings to the point where it is no longer possible to buy bread. In such situation, I contacted  UNHCR and they introduced the World Vision Organization. On April 13, I contacted the World Vision via Skype. They said that the social worker would contact you. A person who introduced himself as Benjamin called me and after a lot of questions said that the information would be sent to the Social Service Agency and they would decide. Benjamin asked about education, profession and other issues that I don't know how they relate to social assistance. A few days later, another person from the same organization called me and said that he was a social worker and asked questions again. It's not easy for a hu...

In Georgia, an asylum seeker is allowed to work and can set up his or her own business. However, the situation has not been in the best interests of small businesses in the last years Due to COVID19 situation, this year has not been a good year for small businesses. What about last year? In the spring our wine shop was working normally. Most of our clients were Russian tourists. In July 2019, all flights between Russia & Georgia were banned.      

You have a cold day at home. Suddenly the doorbell rings. The two men say they are gas officers and want to inspect the house. So a one-minute inspection says that this water-heater is not standard and should be disconnected. - But I bought this water-heater from the market. Why sell it if it's not a master? - Regulations have changed and it is no longer allowed to use this water-heater. - So give me a chance to see what I can do. After bargaining, agents said you had a chance one day. "Tomorrow we will come to remove it." At the earliest opportunity, I contacted a UNHCR-based organization that says it offers asylum seekers advice and assistance. I was told that you had to come to the office of the organization. In the office of the organization, two young but frustrated consultants met me. One said, "Yes, these are new rules." You need to buy and install a new water heater. - Buying a new water-heater requires money and time. What can you do to help?...

Afghan Mukhtarli Afghan Mukhtarli who was researching the corruption cases of the Azerbaijani government, fled the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2015 and lived in Georgia. Afghan's wife  had announced his disappearance on May 29, 2017 . Very soon it was revealed that a kidnapping force had forcibly taken him from Tbilisi to Baku. In an interview with Meydan TV , Afghan Mukhtarli says: "It was an incorrect decision to abduct me, it was not even to the benefit of the government. They also put the Georgian government into jeopardy, very serious jeopardy, both in terms of its image and in terms of financial investments." When the prominent journalist may be abducted, how is image of Georgia in safety for asylum seeker? It is important to consider that Georgia is a developing democracy and such cases as Afghan Mukhtarli won't be expected to repeat again but the same time, we know human rights in foreign diplomacy of Georgia is not main principle. Georgia has close rela...

Refugee and migrant are different terms. Refugee :  It is too dangerous for them to return home to their own country,  It is not safe for him or her to return to their country of origin,  Refugees flees armed conflict or persecution  Refugees crosses national borders to seek safety from persecution or serious human rights violations Migrant:  Migrants can return home with no immediate threat to them,  Migrants decide to move to find work or seek education,  Migrants decide to move to improve their lives If you decide to be recognized as refugee in Georgia, you should apply asylum . Applying asylum can be declared in the borders or territory of Georgia. Migrants in Georgia must apply for residence permit. Obtaining residence permit in Georgia is absolutely difference to Asylum Process in Georgia . It is observed that some people who are migrants apply for asylum. In a partner organization of UNHCR, one 30's years old Iranian woman said t...

A temporary identification card for the period of one year shall be issued for  a person registered as the asylum-seeker in Georgia. In comparison to the other country, Georgia is merciful in issuing long term  identification card for asylum seekers. How is valid and recognized the ID? When I was in office of  a mobile operator to buy SIM card, they told me not recognize my identification card and register any number to mine. It was 2016 in office of Geocell, now that problem has been solved but reminded some organizations and companies which not recognize asylum seekers' ID. For example, Fastpay, Emoney, Mycoins and some others of electronic wallets have not recognized asylum seekers' identity card. Once I was witness when lawyer of Dirsi real estate company referring to an asylum seeker's ID said: we can not deal if only this is your  identification card.  Overall the ID is recognized by Public Service Hall, notaries, courts and any governmental org...

Numbers of asylum seekers in Georgia is not so much and the Georgian society no familiar to the terms & concepts of this field. It is recommended to save some fundamental words even if you have translator.   Asylum Seeker = თავშესაფრის მაძიებელი Refugee = ლტოლვილი Temporary Identity Card = დროებითი საიდენტიფიკაციო მოწმობა Migration Department = მიგრაციის დეპარტამენტი

Asylum procedure in Georgia: STEP ONE: Apply for asylum in the Migration Department STEP TWO: Interview STEP THREE: Decision of Migration Department STEP FOUR: Appeal to Tbilisi Court STEP FIVE: Appeal to Tbilisi Court Appeal Courts can vote that the Migration Department must accept your application again and you will be in first step. It is important to know: - If you entered Georgia irregularly (without passport, visa, ...) and you intend to seek asylum, you must express your intention within 24 hours. - If you entered Georgia legally, you should express your wish for asylum as soon as possible.   

თბილისის სააპელაციო სასამართლო photo: tbappeal.court.ge Tbilisi Court of Appeals dispose appeals on Tbilisi court. The servants in this court speak only Georgian language. Maybe speaking English is forbidden for them. Any request or letter will be accepted only if will be in Georgian. To file lawsuit in this court, Legal Aids introduce me a clever & active lawyer. It was my chance, the former lawyer was not working there anymore. In court session, the judge gave me enough time to speak unlike first instance court.    Before the trial, I spoke to interpreter to test her ability in my native language: - Do you know what is Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps? -No, what is it? - Guardian Council? - I don't know. - Belligerent coutry? - No etc. I have not find any solution for political asylum seekers to find a professional translator. Most or maybe all of them don't know the phrases and political structure of your country. Overall, Tbilisi Court of Appe...

photo: court.ge Like the most asylum seekers in Georgia, the decision of Migration Department was negative in my case and I appealed it in Tbilisi Court.   Legal Aid Service is a state organization in Georgia which provides free legal assistance to asylum seekers. The organization introduced me a young man as lawyer. I expected the lawyer to help me to provide a bill for the court but he refused it and was not interested listening my case. What will be happening when my lawyer know nothing about my case? I asked this question in an organization which was partner of UNHCR* and they said to me: in the court you'll have enough time and can explain every thing by yourself. In the court, the judge gave me 5 minutes time to speak ! She said it's forbidden to speak more. Of course, the decision of the Tbilisi Court was confirming the decision of Migration Department  and against me. The claim was possible to be considered by Tbilisi Court of Appeals. In a legal counsellin...

About 9:00 pm, he called by mobile to inform me date & time of the interview. Working official hours in Georgia ends at 6:00 pm, is really he calling from Migration Department? Maybe one friend just for laughing was calling me ! For checking, I dialed that mobile number if he is from  Migration Department. "Yes, I am interpreter in Department and during these days we work overtime." Again he announced same date & time of interview. Time of interview would start at 10:00 am.  At 10:00 am, I was in Division, waiting more than 2 hours to start interview in the cold and wet corridor. Interview took more than 3 hours included vague question and pressure to remember terrible old memories. In my opinion, it was torture and investigation instead of interview. Finally they gave me several decade pages to be signed. Q: was that activity legally in your country? R: it depends on how you consider the law. Q: tell me if that activity was legally in your country. R: whic...

In the website of UNHCR Georgia is written you can apply for asylum in  Division of International Protection Issues of the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia: Address: 15 a, Tamarashvili Street, 0186, Tbilisi, Website: http://mra.gov.ge The name & address are correct but introduced website is expired site of former ministry of immigration. When you go to that address, there will be a special entry without any sign. Division is in the first floor (not ground floor). Some soldiers control you and take your mobile or any metal if with you. Size of hall for clients is about 3 meter in 1 meter without any view to outside. There is a window in the hall to one small room. Sometimes the window will be open and somebody is at there, this is the connective channel between you and division without any regulated time working.  After receiving application form, it can be filled in your native language. If you submit asylum application, you ...

In 2015 when I applied for asylum in Georgia, I was sure to be accepted but unfortunately the response of the government was negative. I was surprised of the decision of Immigration Administration but understood that refusing is so popular. According to stats, more than 90% percent of applications for asylum has been refused in Georgia. This joke is popular in community of asylum seekers in Georgia: 105% percent of asylum seekers are refused to be refugee in Georgia 😁   Generally it looks like Georgian government is not interested in absorbing many immigrants to the country included refugees. In my opinion, they barricade you which makes  this way long & very hard. During next posts I share my experience in this way to asylum seekers.