Human Rights Center Cancelled Press-Conference – Giorgi Oniani Returned to Georgia

On May 5, Human Rights Center planned to hold press-conference about expel of Giorgi Oniani from Georgia in the Reporter’s Press-Club.

On May 4, Human Rights Center called on the Minister of Internal Affairs to safely and timely return Giorgi Oniani to Georgia from Azerbaijan. The Center provided media and nongovernmental organizations with the information. 

After Human Rights Center disseminated the press-release, on May 5, Giorgi Oniani decided to enter Georgia. When crossing the border law enforcement officers did not create any problems for him. The family members said they do not have any complaints about MIA and requested to cancel the press-conference. 

Giorgi Oniani and his family members applied Human Rights Center for legal assistance early in April. According to them, on March 25, 2015, at about 21:30 pm Giorgi Oniani arrived in Georgia. MIA officers met him in the Tbilisi International Airport and took him to the MIA office where they declared he had to leave Georgia because he was in the informal data base “Prime Crime”, which contains unofficial information about so called “criminals in law”.

Giorgi Oniani has never been convicted as criminal-in-law or for membership of criminal world; he never lead similar activities. Giorgi Oniani claims he is not criminal-in-law and declared the same to MIA officers too. MIA officers told Giorgi Oniani they had nothing against him but they avoid criticism from the opposition political party United National Movement, whose members blame the government in protecting criminals. MIA officers even promised Giorgi Oniani to pay his flat rent in other country.

Georgian citizen Giorgi Oniani had to leave Georgian territory against his will. According to his clarification he is still in Baku, Azerbaijan against his will, where he could not pay rent for a flat and lived in the street.

Human Rights Center calls on the Parliament of Georgia, Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs to take measures to protect rights of Giorgi Oniani and ensure his safe living in Georgia. 

In addition, in order to avoid similar facts in future, Human Rights Center calls on the General Inspection of MIA to immediately study the alleged facts of abuse of power by MIA officers when expelling Giorgi Oniani from the country.

Human Rights Center