Mother Was Forced To Leave her Ten-Year-Old Child at the Border

Natela Tsetskhladze, resident of the village of Kvirike in Kobuleti District, during her deportation from Russia was forced to leave her ten-year-old child at the Derbend train station in Moscow. The desperate mother demanded an explanation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tsetskhladze was deported from Russia two weeks ago. She had lived in Russia during four years with her husband, Malkhaz Tsetskhladze, and three children in a village. Although the family had not been naturalized, they were registered in the village and owned a house there.

The family has had problems since Russia launched sanctions against Georgia and started deporting of Georgians from its territory. "The police arrived and forced us out of our house. My husband had already been deported by that time. I had to leave the house, buy tickets for the train and produce them to the police investigator along with other documents. He promised I would not have any problems. However, upon arriving at the Derbend Train Station, the police did not allow us to depart. My son, Zuriko, did not have Russian deportation card, so-called green card. I showed them his birth certificate, but they did not listen to me any more. At midnight, they forced my sleeping little children out of the train." Tsetskhladze spent three days and nights with her little children in the station. "Various people were coming up to me extorting money in exchange of help, but finally nobody paid attention to us," said she.

Finally the mother was forced to leave her child in the station. At present she is in Tbilisi and urges the Ministry of Foreign Affiars for help. "Since my arrival, I have been visiting various people. I was at the Ministry and Andro Kachkachishvili told me that my son will complicate his situation here, and he advised me to stop worrying about my child. He said Zuriko's uncle will take care of him. He meant my brother, who is in Moscow, but he has his own problems there. Anyway, how can I leave my child?"

The mother said that she had left Zuriko with some woman on an officer's advice. The woman demands money in exchange of looking after the child. "Zuriko is evidently crying all the time. Just imagine, he thinks that I have abandoned him. I have petitioned Gela Bezhashvili, the Minister of the Foreign Affairs. I ask them to help me at least with money to pay the woman."

Human Rights Centre could not find Andro Kachkachishvili at the Ministry. However, Diana Zhghenti, Director of the Counsel Department of the Ministry, promised the woman assistance. "Let them submit more detailed information to our counsel. We will discuss the problem and assist them."

Zura Pataridze, Georgian Counselor to Russia, stated that the Georgian Counsel will ensure the return of the child to Georgia.

Sofo Zhghenti, Batumi