According to the reports received in recent days via the hotline of the NGOs’ Legal Aid Network, foreign citizens participating in protests have been summoned to the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is noticeable that employees of the Migration Department are calling and asking foreign citizens detained on administrative charges during the protests ongoing in Tbilisi to immediately arrive at the Department. The employees of the Department do not explain the legal grounds for the summons. It should be noted that the majority of them have legal grounds for staying in Georgia.

At the same time, according to reports, one of the persons, who arrived at the Migration Department, was forcibly deported from the territory of Georgia through another country.

The expulsion of foreign citizens from the country for participating in peaceful demonstrations does not comply with national legislation or international standards. We believe that the use of this measure, in parallel with the imposition of sanctions under the Administrative Offences Code, is unjustified and should be discontinued.

In case of being summonned to the Migration Department, you can:

Request explanations - for what purpose you are being summoned to the administrative body;

Request that an official document be sent in writing;

Contact the consulate/embassy of your country in Georgia;

Contact a lawyer and receive legal aid.

Signatory organizations:

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association

Civil Society Foundation

Transparency International - Georgia

Women's Initiatives Supporting Group

Rights Georgia

Democracy Research Institute

Georgian Democracy Initiative

Union of Human Rights Defenders - Human Rights Center

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy

Partnership for Human Rights