Human Rights Advocates Report Deportation of Georgian Citizens from US to Central African Republic

DW reports that the migrants deported by the US to the Central African Republic (CAR) include citizens of Georgia. This was announced by Ali Rahnama, the interim executive director of the Iranian-American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF).

Around 20 people were transported from Louisiana to the CAR capital of Bangui: they are citizens of Georgia, Jordan, Armenia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iran.

The deportation was carried out under agreements that allow Washington to send migrants to third countries when they cannot be returned to their home countries. The CAR is considered one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world.

It is currently unknown exactly how many Georgian citizens were on board the flight or what their current status is. Information regarding where the deportees will be housed and how long they will remain in the CAR has also not been disclosed.

It is known that some of the migrants have been temporarily housed at a fire department facility near a US embassy complex currently under construction, while others will be distributed among various other sites.

Human rights advocates have criticized the deportations. The lawyer for one of the deportees—an Iranian activist—stated that the migrants were sent to a country with which they have no ties.

“These individuals were removed from the United States and left in a country where they have no status, no ties, and no support,” said attorney Emily Trostle.

President Donald Trump’s administration has concluded several similar agreements with nations in Africa and Latin America. Human rights organizations argue that such deals can be used to bypass court rulings that prohibit returning migrants to countries where they face persecution or danger.

Georgian officials have not yet commented on reports regarding the potential presence of Georgian citizens among those deported to the Central African Republic.

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