Georgians Deported from Turkey

125 Georgian traders were deported from Turkey on November 21. According to the deported people, the gendarmerie detained them in Kemal-pasha, the nearest town of the neighbor country.

“Gendarmerie came, searched and put us in the bus without any explanation. They were armed and treated us in rude manners. I’ve understood the only thing they called us in Turkish – “haivan, haivan”, that means “cow” in their language. They took us till the border and deported [put the signs of deportation in our passports], which means that we won’t be allowed to enter the country during a year. They did not explain us what was our fault and why did they deport us from the country” – says Khatuna Mgeladze, the deported person.

As one of the driver said to us, gendarmerie was looking for drugs. Today, the deported people organized a protest action in front of the representation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Batumi asking for the support from the government.

According to Zhani Patladze, the head of the representation, Georgian Consulate in Trabzon does not have any information regarding the fact: “We tried to find out what has happened in Turkey. However, we do not have any official information about it. We contacted the Turkish Consulate in Batumi regarding the fact. Tonight we are planning to meet the representatives of the Consulate and will find out the reason of the deportation”.

They do not comment in the Turkish Consulate about the fact of the deportation of Georgians.

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi