Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Georgian Refugees Abroad

December 28, 2003

 

Georgian Refugees Abroad

 

 

The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board has refused to provide any assistance or rehabilitation for a Georgian refugee. Mr. Levan, who was seeking shelter in Norway as a political refugee, claims for the rehabilitation of his rights that was violated in Norway. He applied to the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center for helping in finding the justice. We take into consideration his request not to publish his full name as he is afraid that danger threatens to his life. 

 

 

Mr. Levan, a citizen of Georgia, states that he had conflicts with law enforcement officials for his political activities. This was the reason he went to Norway asking for political asylum.

 

Mr. Levan explains that he was placed in a camp of refugees, where he lived in a dangerous criminal environment for 17 months. On June 13, 2001, he was taken from the camp in Oslo to Kirkines. An air catastrophe that happened during the journey injured him psychologically. Levan showed us the tickets from his flight, which was booked by Red Cross and Norwegian Immigration Service, and the newspapers that were covering the accident. He applied to the camp manager and to the airline to improve his living conditions and to get medical assistance, but both of them refused his request. Also, his lawyer refused to provide legal help with the case, and the only way he could contact the airline was through the camp administration.

He was provided with unprofessional medical assistance by the nurses and treated with inappropriate remedies which worsened his health situation. Levan says: "I expressed my dissatisfaction towards this treatment, but in vain. It is also notable that my medical expenses were covered neither by the airline nor by the immigration service but by me." Finally, six months later, he managed to meet with the representatives of the airline, but they refused to help him and replied impolitely.

 

As Levan's living conditions became unbearable, he went to Sweden asking for shelter in February 2002. They refused his request, and after a month he was sent back to Norway. Finally, on May 29, 2002, he was deported to Georgia without receiving any reply to his appeal. Levan believes that he was deported because he had requested improvement in his living conditions, necessary medical treatment and final answer on his request.

 

Upon returning to Georgia, he was examined by a qualified physician who confirmed his psychological damage. Currently, he is registered in a psychological dispensary and is receiving treatment.

 

Levan thinks that his rights were violated by the immigration service, when he was deported from the country without any reply to his second appeal.

 

He also claims that he came to Norway healthy, but that after the catastrophe his health was damaged, and that neither Red Cross, nor the Norwegian Immigration Service, nor the airline paid any attention to him.

 

Upon returning to Georgia, Mr. Levan applied for help to many NGOs working on human rights, including the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center. HRIDC contacted both the UN and the Norwegian Embassy in Baku, through which we got contact information for the Emigration Service of Norway. The executive director of HRIDC sent a letter to the Norwegian immigration Appeals Board asking for a response to Mr. Levan's complaint. They replied that Mr. Levan was not placed into a criminal environment, and was not forced to leave Norway before any final decision was made regarding his appeal, although according to Levan, he has not yet received a final answer. Furthermore, the letter also states that Norwegian authorities were not informed that he was involved in any accident while being in Norway (that, according to Levan, does not reflect reality), and therefore that the government of Norway refused to provide any legal assistance or advice in this matter.

 

The case of Mr. Levan is one example of the realities faced by Georgian refugees abroad. Mr. Levan has not given up the hope that he may eventually find justice, and fights for his violated rights. He asks every responsible person familiar with this case to provide whatever help they can.

 

News