Georgian Interior Ministry expels 25 foreign citizens for ‘participating in demonstrations’

Georgia’s Interior Ministry has ordered the expulsion of 25 foreign nationals from Georgia who allegedly participated in anti-government protests in November and December.

The Interior Ministry’s Migration Department said that 10 of the foreign nationals on the expulsion list had already left Georgia, but did not specify which countries they were from.

The Migration Department said 91 citizens of various countries had been expelled from Georgia in the last two months of 2024, including citizens of Iran, Algeria, India, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and ‘other countries’.

Among the 91 deportees were 25 foreign nationals who allegedly participated in protests and were thus subject to ‘various administrative fines’, the Migration Department stated. It is unclear if those who were deported also received fines or other penalties.

In total, the Migration Department said 430 foreign citizens were expelled from Georgia in 2024, which represented a 126% increase from the previous year.

‘The Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the body responsible for combating illegal migration within the country. Its main task is to identify and expel foreign citizens who are in Georgia without legal grounds’, the department said.

According to various reports, approximately 500 demonstrators were detained during the brutal crackdowns in November–December, some of whom, according to local rights groups, were physically assaulted. Many reportedly required medical attention.

Today is the 40th day since the beginning of the ongoing protest against the Georgian government’s recent actions, including the EU U-turn.

Protesters demand new parliamentary elections and release of those detained during anti-government demonstrations.

The official results of 26 October’s parliamentary elections gave the ruling Georgian Dream party a majority, with 54% of the vote. However, local media and observer groups have documented widespread vote rigging by the ruling party and the institutions it controls, which they argue resulted in a favourable outcome for Georgian Dream.

OSCE PA president postpones Georgia visit amid widespread criticism

The proposed visit has been characterised by critics as a sign of Western legitimisation of Georgian Dream’s contested election.

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