Georgia: Reports of violence against Jews and Russians; response of government authorities (2005-2006)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 7 December 2006 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GEO102185.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Georgia: Reports of violence against Jews and Russians; response of government authorities (2005-2006), 7 December 2006, GEO102185.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/45f1473420.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Sources estimate Georgia's Jewish population at between 4,000 (US 8 Mar. 2006, Sec. 2.c) and 8,000 (The Jerusalem Post 15 July 2005), while Georgia's 2002 census identified 68,000 ethnic Russians in the country (NATO 2005; RFE/RL 11 Oct. 2006).
According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005, Jews do not face significant societal problems and "[t]here was no historical pattern of anti-Semitism in the country, nor were there any reported incidents of harassment during [2005]" (US 8 Mar. 2006, Sec. 2.c). This information could not, however, be corroborated by the Research Directorate within time constraints.
Without specifying which groups had been targeted, Amnesty International's (AI) 2006 annual report states that supporters of the Greek Orthodox Church have, on several occasions, attacked adherents of religious minorities. Although many assailants were imprisoned, AI reports that "hundreds continued to enjoy impunity" (AI 23 May 2006). Human Rights Watch (HRW), however, reports that attacks against religious minorities decreased in 2005, linking the decrease to the election of a new government (18 Jan. 2006).
On 2 October 2006, a week after Georgian authorities arrested four Russian officers on charges of espionage, the alleged spies were deported and forbidden to return to Georgia (BBC 2 Oct. 2006; RIA Novosti 2 Oct. 2006). However, despite ensuing diplomatic tensions between Georgia and Russia (ibid.; BBC 2 Oct. 2006), a number of ethnic Russians interviewed for a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) article stated that their lives were not affected by the tensions and denied suffering any mistreatment by their ethnic Georgian neighbours (11 Oct. 2006).
An uncorroborated article published by the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia (ITAR-TASS) cited Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh as stating that anyone who breached the housing property rights of Russian speakers and Jews who were forced to leave Abkhazia due to the conflict in that district would be punished (12 July 2005). Media reports also quoted Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as stating that the illegal sale of housing property belonging to ethnic Russians and Jews, among other groups, would not be tolerated (Channel 17 Apr. 2006; Rustavi-2 TV 4 Nov. 2005).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International (AI). 23 May 2006. "Albania." Amnesty International Report 2006. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 2 October 2006. "Georgia Releases Russian 'Spies'." Channel 1 [Tbilisi, in Georgian]. 7 April 2006. "Georgian President Issues Warning Over Property Abkhazia." (Factiva/BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union)
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 18 January 2006. "Georgia." World Report 2006. Information Telegraph Agency of Russia (ITAR-TASS). 12 July 2005. Anzhela Kuchuberia. "Breach of Russians' Housing Rights in Abkhazia to Be Punished." (Factiva)
The Jerusalem Post. 15 July 2005. David Horovitz and Isaac Harari. "Georgia's New Jewish Envoy Symbolizes Bid for Deeper Ties. 'My Mother is Jewish. I Know the Halacha!' Says Zhvania." (Factiva)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 2005. Parliamentary Assembly. Bert Middel. 166 CSCDG 05 E – Minorities in the South Caucasus: Factor of Instability? Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 11 October 2006. Jimsher Rekhviashvili. "Georgia: Ethnic Russians Feel Insulated from Tensions." Russian News and Information Agency Novosti (RIA Novosti). 2 October 2006. "Wrap: Georgia Hands over Detained Russians, Moscow Suspends Transport." Rustavi-2 TV [Tbilisi, in Georgian]. 4 November 2005. "Georgian President Introduces New Minister, Vows to Reclaim Refugees' Property." (Factiva/BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union)
United States (US). 8 March 2006. Department of State. "Georgia." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006. Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources, including: Caucasian Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Studies (Tbilisi), Jewish Communisty of Tbilisi, Liberty Institute (Tbilisi), Open Society – Georgia Foundation (Tbilisi).
Internet sites, including: The Economist, European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), Forum 18, Freedom House, Georgian Helsinki Committee [inaccessible], Georgian European Policy and Legal Advice Center, Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), International Crisis Group (ICG), International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), Liberty Institute, The Messenger [Tbilisi], Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO).
