Georgia Refuses humanitarian status to Cabuk
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, July 10
Georgia’s Ministry of Refugees has refused to provide humanitarian statusto Emre Cabuk, a Turkish national, who has been engaged with educational activities in Georgia for many years and whose extradition was demanded by Turkey.
The refusal for Cabuk, detained for alleged terrorist links, may mean that he would be extradited if the Georgian court leaves the Ministry’s solution unchanged.
The refusal caused stir in the opposition and NGOs, calling the government’s decision “shameful”, as, according to them, Cabuk’s life could be at risk in Turkey.
The Ministry of Refugees explained that Cabuk “didn’t meet” the demands for the humanitarian status and that situation in Turkish court and prison was positively assessed by the EU.
The Ministry claimed Cabuk’s life won’t be under threat in his homeland, for alleged links with Fethullah Gulen, and the people detained with the same charge “felt satisfactory. “
The Ministry of Refugee added that the messages provided by Cabuk’s wife, weren’t considered as of high importance.
The opposition, NGOs and part of analysts clam that the government of Georgia was under the influence of Turkish leadership and they failed to act bravely.
Cabuk’s lawyer Soso Baratashvili stated the Ministry had “no ground” not to grant the humanitarian status toCabuk and give a shelter to him.
He said they would appeal the Ministry’s decision to the court.
Mustafa Emre Cabuk has been living in Georgia since 2002. From 2016 he has served as a Quality Management Manager of Demirel Private College.
Cabuk was detained on May 24 after the official visit of Turkish Prime Minister and members of Cabinet to Georgia.
A number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) called on the government of Georgia shortly after the detention not to extradite Cabuk, who was sentenced to three-month pre-extradition detention over alleged links to the terrorist organization.
Cabuk is charged of having links to the FETO organization, 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.
