Russian authorities acknowledged a “significant” influx of cars trying to cross from Russia to Georgia last year after Moscow announced partial mobilization.
TBILISI: Like thousands of Russians who decided to emigrate after their country invaded Ukraine, Anna Rivina moved to neighboring Georgia.
But a year later, she is no longer welcome.
Rivina, a human rights lawyer and activist against domestic violence, said she was denied entry to Georgia in mid-February after returning from a work trip to Armenia.
She shared the fate of scores of Kremlin critics who have been expelled from Georgia, which has otherwise become a haven for tens of thousands of Russians since the war began.
Immigration officials at Tbilisi airport “decided not to let me in without giving any reason,” the 33-year-old said in a phone interview with AFP from Israel.
Russian authorities have cracked down on criticism of the war, arresting thousands of protesters since the conflict began in February last year.
Thousands of Russian men have also fled to neighboring countries including Georgia after President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization in September.
Initially welcoming, Georgia has expelled several Russian activists with opposition views over the past year.
Cases that caught public attention include journalist Filipp Dzyadko, who was reportedly detained at the airport overnight, and activist Dmitry Aleshkovskiy, who has a wife and young daughter living in Tbilisi.
Georgia has also refused entry to several Russian opposition politicians, including former opposition MP Dmitry Gudkov and Lyubov Sobol, a key ally of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
– ‘Scary Trend’ –
The bans have drawn criticism from rights groups and opposition forces, who have accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of shifting the country from its pro-Western path to a pro-Kremlin stance.
Rights activist and former lawmaker Giorgi Kandelaki said: “Rivina’s deportation is a spectacular example of how far Georgia’s drift into Russian orbit has gone.”
“Their deportation should be a wake-up call for anyone in western capitals who doesn’t want Georgia’s ongoing drift into Kremlin orbit to continue,” he told AFP.
German politician Viola von Cramon, a member of the European Parliament who is actively following Georgia’s democratic record, called the development “extremely worrying, a frightening trend that raises many questions”.
“It is questionable behavior by the Georgian government, which has clear obligations under the Georgia-EU Association Agreement,” she told AFP.
Rivina has been living in Georgia since March 2022 and even got married in the country.
“I will appeal the decision in court,” she said. “I think it’s insane hypocrisy that a country that has declared its goal of joining the European Union should please the Russian government.”
She was recently declared a “foreign agent” in Russia, a label given to any journalist, dissident or activist who the government says carries out foreign-funded activities.
“I am confident that I was not allowed in just because my work in Russia was viewed with displeasure.”
– “de-oligarchization” –
In a rare comment on the matter last year, the head of Georgia’s intelligence service, Grigol Liluashvili, warned of the “uncontrolled influx of individuals who are at the forefront of the Russian opposition,” calling it “dangerous.”
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has defended his “balanced” Russia policy aimed at ensuring “peace and stability”.
He also accused the opposition of trying to “draw Georgia into the war” and open a “second front” against Russia in the country.
Garibashvili is a close ally of ruling party founder and billionaire oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia and is widely regarded as the man in charge of Georgia, although he has no official political role.
Last year, the European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution imposing personal sanctions on Ivanishvili for his “destructive role” in Georgia’s political and economic life.
The EU — which has shelved Tbilisi’s bid for membership while allowing Ukraine and Moldova to join — ranks “de-oligarchization” among the key demands Tbilisi must meet before it can be put on a formal accession path.
Kandelaki, the former MP, said Ivanishvili was “pushing Georgia into Russian orbit for his personal interests” and called on the West to impose sanctions on him.
Opposition politician Elene Koshtaria said on Facebook: “We will not tolerate that Georgia has become a country where Putin’s opponents are not welcome.”
