Seven Georgian nationals were deported from Ireland to Tbilisi on Wednesday 13 February, it has emerged.
The seven people were deported by the Department of Justice under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999.
“The deportation was part of a joint operation organised through the EU Frontex Network,” said the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in a statement.
“All seven deportees had been in custody for immigration related or criminal offences,” it added.
Georgia has been widely condemned for human rights abuses by NGOs in the sector. In the run-up to the 2012 parliament elections, many supporters of the opposition were “fined, fired, harassed or detained for expressing their political views,” said Amnesty International’s expert on Georgia, Natalia Nozadze.
Human Rights Watch also points to evidence of torture in some Georgian prisons. Videos broadcast on Georgian television last September depicted sexual abuse of several inmates by prison staff.
