- 2006 deportation of Georgians from Russia
2006 deportation of Georgians from Russia refers to a displacement of hundreds of citizens of Georgia by the government of
Russia after the 2006 Georgia-Russia crisis.cite news |title= Georgians deported as row deepens |publisher=BBC |date=6 October 2006 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5412672.stm |accessdate= 2006-10-22]The charges against Georgian citizens were that they did not have documents in order and Russian side saw the process as law enforcement towards illegal immigrants, whereas the Georgian government accused Russia of mid-
ethnic cleansing . [cite news |title= Georgia chides Russia 'cleansing' |publisher=BBC |date=7 October 2006 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5415388.stm |accessdate= 2006-10-22]Two citizens of Georgia died in Moscow awaiting deportation including Tenghiz Togonidze, who had asthma and the death was caused by not treating his chronic disease. [cite news |title= Georgian Awaiting Deportation Dies |publisher=
Moscow Times |date=October 18 2006 |url= http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/10/18/011.html |accessdate= 2006-10-22] According to the Georgian Embassy in Moscow, 58 years old Togonidze was denied medical attention for five days of detention despite his requests to see a doctor. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6058410.stm Georgian deportee dies in Moscow] . "BBC"]In its January 2007 survey, the influential U.S.-based
NGO Freedom House also accused the Russian authorities of "tolerating and encouraging the mistreatments of immigrants from Georgia and otherCaucasus countries." [ [http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/press_release/fiw07_overview_final.pdf "FREEDOM IN THE WORLD 2007:FREEDOM STAGNATION AMID PUSHBACK AGAINST DEMOCRACY"] , TheFreedom House . Retrieved onJanuary 22 ,2007 .]On October 1, 2007, the
Human Rights Watch released its own report documenting "the Russian government's arbitrary and illegal detention and expulsion of Georgians, including many who legally lived and worked in Russia." The HRW reported that following the growing political tensions between Russia and Georgia, "Russian authorities began a widespread crackdown on ethnic Georgians, Georgian nationals, and Georgian-owned or Georgian-themed businesses and organizations... Senior government officials disparaged Georgians openly on government-owned TV, and much of Russia’s government-friendly TV and other media followed suit... Police and other authorities denied basic rights to many of the detained" and underscored that "the Russian government’s campaign against Georgians occurred in the context of pervasive racism and xenophobia in Russia." [ [http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/09/30/russia16977.htm Russia Targets Georgians for Expulsion] . The Human Rights Watch.October 1 ,2007 .]References
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5414078.stm Georgia deportees describe ordeal] .
BBC News .6 October 2006 .
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