“Caucasian Knot” correspondent faces deportation after his detention in Tbilisi

In Georgia, after Beslan Kmuzov, a correspondent of the “Caucasian Knot”, had been detained at a protest in Tbilisi, the country’s migration service summoned him for a conversation. Meanwhile, the journalist has been legally living in the country since 2007. An advocate suggests that the summoning of Beslan Kmuzov to the Georgian migration service was motivated by political pressure.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on the night of December 7, in Tbilisi, the police detained “Caucasian Knot” correspondent Beslan Kmuzov, who was covering a protest action. On December 8, a court sentenced Beslan Kmuzov to a fine.

The police detained the journalist after he took photos on Rustaveli Avenue after the end of the protest action. At that time, law enforcers detained several more people, one of whom was severely beaten. Beslan Kmuzov himself had his mobile phone taken away. “They have a selfish motive. They are looting, and they have even stolen the shoes of one of the detainees,” Beslan Kmuzov claimed.

“It is not clear now what the actions of the country’s migration service will be. Perhaps they will stop the proceedings against him, because Beslan Kmuzov stays legally in the country,” noted advocate Giorgi Kvashilava, who was invited by the “Caucasian Knot” to defend the journalist.

At the same time, the advocate suggests there is a direct relation between the journalist’s detention and the subsequent summons to the migration service of Georgia.

Beslan Kmuzov has a permanent residence in Georgia and is married to a Georgian citizen. However, the journalist fears that he may be deported to Russia, since he has Russian citizenship. Beslan Kmuzov grew up in Abkhazia, from where he left in 2007. The man had to stay in Tbilisi after his studies, as he could not bring his Georgian wife to Abkhazia and ensure the safety of his family there.