(Tbilisi, July 1, 2003, Civil Georgia) – The Tbilisi District Court ruled on June 30 that the cancellation of the refugee status for Ruslan Gelogaev, which is wanted by Russia for alleged links with Chechen rebels, was illegal. Thus extradition of Gelogaev to Russia would be illegal.
Gelogaev was arrested by the Georgian border guards last August for illegal crossing the border and carrying weapons, together with other 12 armed men. Russia insists on their extradition. Georgia has already handed over five of them; however others avoided extradition as two were Georgian citizens and three had a refugee status issued by the Georgian Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation.
The Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation deprived Gelogaev from refugee status in 2001 after the request of the Georgian Interior Ministry.
The Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation has the right to appeal the Supreme Court within 15 days.
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