Russian independent television channel TV Rain has cited Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as saying that she was denied entry to Georgia in August.
According to the TV Rain story, published late on October 29, Sobol tried to arrive in Georgia by land from neighboring Armenia for taking flight.
The Russian opposition politician said the person accompanying her was allowed in immediately, while she had to wait for an hour just to be told – without any explanation – she was refused to cross the border.
“This is simply because the government and the people in [Georgia’s] leadership do not want to spoil relations with Putin,” Sobol stressed.
The Russian politician remarked that she had not visited occupied Abkhazia region before or committed any action against the country that could guide the Georgian authorities’ decision to refuse her entry.
“I have not done any actions that could be regarded as hostile towards Georgia… There were no stories that could be considered unfriendly [towards the country].”
Civil Georgia is trying to reach out to the Interior Ministry, the relevant agency, for comment.
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)