The Tbilisi Court of Appeals has denied refugee or humanitarian status to detained Temur Katamadze (Gaffar Yilmaz), a Turkish citizen of Georgian descent, a decision that means his imminent deportation to Turkey. Katamadze, 57, known as the protests’ “flag bearer”, has lived in Georgia since 2012 and is known for being at the forefront of pro-EU rallies in Batumi.
Mariam Gabroshvili, a lawyer from the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association representing Katamadze, told RFE/RL’s Georgian Service that both the Tbilisi City Court and the Court of Appeals rejected his application for the status, which now leaves deportation as the likely outcome.
Moreover, Gabroshvili said that Katamadze believes the warrant for his arrest might also stem from his decades-long advocacy for the rights of the Georgian diaspora in Turkey – activism he claims has made him a “target of the Turkish state.” According to earlier information, Katamadze was informed in 2023 that if he entered Turkey, he would be arrested for allegedly supporting the now-deceased Fethullah Gulen (a political opponent declared an enemy by the Turkish government) and that his life could easily be in danger. Katamadze says the story was fabricated, a claim earlier confirmed by his lawyer.
On March 18, Tbilisi City Court Judge Diana Parkosadze denied Katamadze’s request for refugee status. The Social Justice Center, which filed an amicus curiae brief in support of Katamadze, warned that his deportation could expose him to “torture and discrimination.”
Katamadze was arrested on January 16 and placed in the temporary detention facility of the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He had been on a hunger strike for 48 days, which led to a serious deterioration of his health.
Also Read:
- Liveblog: Resistance | EU Weighs Suspending Georgia’s Visa-Free Travel, Reviewing DCFTA and Candidate Status
- 19/03/2025 – Watchdog Submits Amicus Curiae Brief in Temur Katamadze Case to Tbilisi City Court
- 05/03/2025 – Protester Temur Katamadze Ends 48-Day Hunger Strike As He Awaits Refugee Status Decision