01.10.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Report on targeting of ethnic Georgians by Russian government; thousands of Georgians living in Russia were arrested and expelled in October and November 2006 ("Russland: Gezielte Ausweisung von Georgiern") [ID 21374]

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06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Following a diplomatic feud in September, anti-Georgian campaign was led; anti-Georgian actions included raids on businesses, police orders for schools to produce lists of Georgian students, severed transportation and postal links; deportations of more than 1,000 Georgian nationals ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19983]

"Following the September arrest of four Russian officers in Georgia, a diplomatic feud erupted that led to an anti-Georgian campaign against the approximately one million Georgians who live in the country. Officially the Georgians were deported for violations of migration legislation. Law enforcement officials were reportedly instructed to step up actions against Georgians. Other anti-Georgian actions included raids on Georgian businesses, police orders for schools to produce lists of Georgian students, and severed transportation and postal links. The actions against Georgians were criticized as illegal by the state human rights body, the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council, which also called the actions a wave of "selective persecution" against Georgians. According to the Georgian parliamentary ad hoc Investigatory Commission Studying Actions Carried Out by the Russian Federation Against Georgian Citizens, as of October 31, the immigration service had issued decisions on deportation of 2,598 Georgian citizens, out of which about 1,140 were actually deported. As of December 28, commission head Nika Gvaramia said that the number of deportees had increased to between 3,800 and 4,000. The commission officially recorded the deaths of three people while in detention."

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04.12.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Georgian woman has died of heart failure while awaiting deportation; second Georgian national to have died in official hands since expulsion campaign began ("Georgian Woman Dies In Russian Custody") [ID 17778]

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23.10.2006 - Source: Guardian

Moscow: Work by ethnic Georgian artist destroyed and owner of art gallery displaying his work beaten up; political art displayed in same gallery seized by officials ("Moscow gallery attack and art seizure raise fears") [ID 17503]

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19.10.2006 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Georgians in Russia fear for their future as Moscow-Tbilisi dispute escalates ("Moscow Officials Pursue Caucasian Residents") [ID 17505]

"Moscow has kept up the heat on Tbilisi following the latter’s arrest of four Russian officers on espionage charges on September 27, even though the four were later released and handed over to the Russian side. Moscow cut off all air, land, sea and postal links with its southern neighbour. It has also imposed restrictions on bank transfers, directly hurting the hundreds of thousands of Georgians working in Russia. Over the last few days, Moscow courts have handed down deportation sentences on 130 illegal migrants from Georgia and around 700 Georgian citizens have left the Russian capital. On October 17, Georgian citizen Tengiz Togonidze, 58, died in Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport a few hours before he was about to be deported, raising a storm of protest in Georgia. Georgia’s foreign ministry accused the Russian authorities of violating the rights of Georgian citizens. The ministry said Togonidze, who was asthmatic, did not receive proper medical aid – an allegation the Russians have denied.Georgian-owned businesses are also being targeted. The well-known Crystal and Golden Palace casinos in Moscow have been closed down. The official charge sheet says the casinos failed to produce licenses for some of their slot machines and, among other violations, paid employees’ salaries in envelopes. But it also noted that the owners are “natives of Georgia”."

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17.10.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

An estimated 400,000 to 1 million Georgians living and working in Russia, legally and illegally ("Georgia: Hundreds Left Stranded After Deportations From Russia") [ID 17518]

"There are an estimated 400,000 to 1 million people Georgians living and working in Russia, legally and illegally. The remittances those workers send home is considerable. Georgia's Central Bank estimates Georgians transferred $220 million from Russia to Georgia in the first half of 2006 -- accounting for nearly 15 percent of Georgia's GDP. Russia says the figure is considerably higher."

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17.10.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Moscow: Georgian accused of being an illegal immigrant died in airport while being deported ("Georgian Dies During Deportation From Russia") [ID 17519]

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12.10.2006 - Source: Guardian

According to Georgia's ambassador to Moscow, Georgians living in Russia are hiding at home in fear after intimidation campaign ("Georgians in Russia live in fear, says envoy") [ID 17529]

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11.10.2006 - Source: Prima News

Ivanovo: All persons with Georgian surnames are being checked, even though they are citizens of Russia ("Persecutions of Georgians in Ivanovo") [ID 17531]

"As reported October 9, by the Public Movement "For Human Rights", in the Valkov area of Ivanovo, all businesses, restaurants, cafes, and stores whose owners have Georgian surnames are being checked, even though they are citizens of Russia, often having served Russia and the USSR. Checks involve the tax inspection service, the migratory service, the Division of Economic and Tax Crimes of the UVD, the sanitation service, and the fire inspection service. Owners of these enterprises are told that they will be shut down, although no violations are found. Owners are invited to meetings with the FSB.In schools, children with Georgian surnames are told to bring in evidence concerning their birth and where their parents are located. This creates tension between the children and their Russian contemporaries."

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06.10.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Reportedly campaign by Russian authorities to track down illegal Georgian migrants by identifying pupils with Georgian surnames in Moscow schools ("Reports: Police Track Down Georgians in Moscow") [ID 17533]

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