Georgia Refuses to Grant Refugee Status to Detained Turkish College Manager
The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia has refused to grant the status of refugee to Mustafa Emre Cabuk, the detained manager of the Turkish College, Demirel, and his family members.
The information was released by Cabuk's lawyer, Soso Baratashvili.
“We will appeal this decision at the City Court,” Baratashvili said, adding that his client is innocent.
The manager of Demirel College was arrested on May 24. Tbilisi City Court ruled on May 25 that Cabuk would stay in three-month pre-extradition detention. The decision was made the day after the official visit of the Turkish Prime Minister and Turkish cabinet members to Georgia.
Cabuk's lawyer says that his client is accused of having links to the organization FETO, registered in the United States and associated with Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of orchestrating a military coup attempt in Turkey on 15 July, 2016.
Baratashvili is sure that Cabuk was detained at the request of the Turkish government.
Sozar Subari, Minister of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, says that granting of refugee status stops extradition, but refusing the status does not mean extradition.
He also said that Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has received certain guarantees from the Turkish side that in case of Cabuk’s extradition, he will be placed in a European-standard cell and his rights will not be violated.
“The consular representatives of Georgia will have the opportunity to visit and check Cabuk’s health at any time if he is extradited to Turkey,” Subari added, highlighting that no extradition procedures are being discussed at present.
“The Turkish side should send the relevant materials to the Prosecutor's Office and Ministry of Justice and only after this will the issue of extradition be discussed by Georgia,” he said.
“If the right to a fair trial is violated or the risk of torture is natural, such person cannot be subjected to extradition, even if the offence committed by him is clear,” the minister added.
Tuba Cabuk, the spouse of the detained manager, addressed the Chief Prosecutor with the request to allocate state security to her family. She also asked for political asylum in Georgia, because, as she says, certain groups of people from Turkey are threatening her via social networks.
Public Defender of Georgia, Ucha Nanuashvili, stated after Cabuk’s arrest that it was very important not to make a hasty decision regarding the extradition of Cabuk.
"We met the defendant and his lawyers on the very first day. It is very important not to make a decision about the extradition until every detail is clear,” he stated.
Mustafa Cabuk denies all allegations and says that he has been only carrying out educational activities during his 15-year stay in Georgia. He thinks his arrest is politically motivated and was orchestrated by the Turkish side.
Thea Morrison