**Turkish Citizen Expelled from Georgia Despite UN Human Rights Case**
Temur Katamadze, a 56-year-old Turkish citizen of Georgian descent, has been expelled from Georgia to Turkey. The Interior Ministry confirmed the move on June 11, just hours after his voluntary departure notice expired.
Katamadze had lived in Georgia since 2012 and was seeking citizenship. He gained national attention during anti-government protests for consistently holding a Georgian flag at rallies. However, he was first arrested in January for allegedly disobeying police and again for what officials claimed was an illegal residence in the country. Katamadze spent 48 days on a hunger strike while in detention.
**Rushed Expulsion Sparked Concerns**
The Social Justice Center, which defends Katamadze’s interests, criticized the authorities for rushing his expulsion despite pending international cases. Tamta Mikeladze of the center noted that they were awaiting a response from the UN Human Rights Committee, which could have temporarily prevented the expulsion.
President Salome Zurabishvili also condemned the move, stating that Georgia had detached itself from its constitution and state frameworks. The Social Justice Center warned earlier that Katamadze’s return to Turkey could lead to torture, inhuman treatment, and discriminatory persecution.
**Background on Temur Katamadze**
Katamadze is a descendant of ethnic Georgians expelled to Turkey during the Russian invasion of Adjara in the 1870s. He has worked tirelessly since the late 1990s from both Turkey and Georgia to promote education, information access, and cultural ties between the two countries.
**Georgia Tightens Immigration Laws**
The expulsion comes as Georgia is tightening its immigration laws. The Georgian Dream party’s one-party parliament recently adopted a legislative package that allows authorities to expel foreigners charged with administrative offenses and bar their reentry into the country.
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