MIA explains decision to evict spouse of Sochi Rabbi by "family reunification"

After her husband, Hannah Edelkopf, the spouse of Sochi Rabbi Aryeh Edelkopf, was also deprived the right for residence in Russia. At trial, an official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) called her eviction a "family reunification."

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Russian MIA revoked a residence permit issued to Aryeh Edelkopf, Rabbi of the Jewish community of Sochi. The decision has been motivated by the fact that, according to the intelligence services, Aryeh Edelkopf poses a threat to the Russia's security. Members of the Jewish community of Sochi called the decision illegal and appealed to the President of Russia with a request to cancel the deportation.

After Aryeh Edelkopf, his spouse Hannah Edelkopf was notified of her deportation from Russia with children. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by lawyer Mikhail Shkonik, an advocate of Aryeh Edelkopf.

"Her situation is similar. The MIA's Department for the KrasnodarTerritory has asked her to leave Russia and referred to a certain letter from the FSB, which we have never seen. Like her spouse, Hannah Edelkopf has also challenged the unmotivated decision of the MIA in court. As far as we have understood from the explanations of a MIA's official at the courtroom, the decision on eviction of the Aryeh Edelkopf's spouse is based on "family reunification." The logic is in the following: if Aryeh Edelkopf has been deported from Russia, then his spouse with children, citizens of Israel, also have nothing to do in Russia," said Mikhail Shkolnik.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.