Turkish protester of Georgian descent will not be deported until court ruling, says NGO

The Non Governmental Organization Social Justice Center has confirmed that Temur Katamadze, also known as Gaffar Yilmaz—a Turkish citizen of Georgian origin and a prominent figure in anti-government protests—will not be deported from Georgia until ongoing court proceedings are completed. Katamadze has been held in a migration detention facility since January, after participating in demonstrations in Batumi.

Katamadze was issued a deportation order on April 30, 2025, by Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, which gave him a 10-day window to voluntarily leave the country. However, according to both the Social Justice Center and official communication from the Migration Department, this deadline has not yet started. It will only come into effect if and when a final court decision upholding the deportation is made.

The Social Justice Center plans to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), citing potential violations of Katamadze’s rights if he is forcibly returned to Turkey. The group intends to request interim measures under Rule 39 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which can suspend deportations in cases where there is a real risk of torture or inhumane treatment.

Katamadze, who moved to Georgia in 2012 and has not left since, is a descendant of Meskhetian Muhajirs and a leader within the Turkish-Georgian diaspora organization Chveneburebi. His aim has been full reintegration into Georgian society. Despite residing in Georgia for over a decade, all of his attempts to obtain citizenship—filed in 2012, 2015, and 2019—were denied. He had previously lived in Georgia on a work visa, which was not renewed in 2020.

The deportation proceedings began after Katamadze was arrested twice in January 2025 during protests in Batumi. He was first sentenced to five days in administrative detention and then immediately rearrested for immigration violations upon his release. In March, the Tbilisi City Court denied his asylum request. On April 29, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal upheld that decision, effectively exhausting his legal options for international protection at the national level.

Katamadze argues that his arrest and deportation are politically motivated, stemming from his public criticism of the Georgian government and its stalled path toward EU integration. He also claims that a politically charged investigation may be ongoing against him in Turkey, where authorities allegedly issued an arrest warrant without providing legal justification or documentation—stripping him of the ability to defend himself.

In a statement, the Social Justice Center claims that Katamadze’s case exemplifies the Georgian government’s misuse of migration and legal systems to punish dissent. The organization previously submitted an amicus curiae brief to the court detailing the potential human rights risks Katamadze could face if deported to Turkey. International human rights reports were also included to support claims of systemic abuses in the Turkish legal system, particularly against political activists and dissidents.

Despite the denial of his asylum request and the ongoing deportation order, the Migration Department confirmed that no removal can take place until the administrative appeal process is concluded. Katamadze remains in detention while awaiting the outcome.