December 10, 2024

Leave Georgia or Be Sent to Russia


Leave Georgia or Be Sent to Russia
Yevgeny Muravitsky, standing in front of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Belsat, Telegram.

In Georgia, over 400 persons have been arrested in protests in Tbilisi after the ruling party, Georgian Dream, suspended negotiations on accession to the European Union. Among the arrested were 10 foreigners, including a Belarusian man who fled to Lithuania to avoid deportation to Russia.

On November 30, 25-year-old Yevgeny Muravitsky was detained in an anti-government protest in the Georgian capital. Authorities filed a case against the Belarusian national for "insulting a special forces soldier." Muravitsky spent two days in a prison in the city of Sighnaghi. 

After Muravitsky was released, immigration authorities summoned him. On December 2, four officers went looking for him at his residence. The next day, Muravitsky applied for asylum. Belarussian human rights activist Roman Kysliak said, "The risk existed that he would be captured and taken to the border with Russia and sent there."

Despite being allowed to request international protection, the Belarussian man decided to leave Georgia for his own safety. Human rights activists from Belarus managed to get Muravitsky out of Georgia by obtaining a single-entry visa from the Lithuanian Embassy in one day.

In Georgia, more than 350 people are being held on administrative charges and 26 on criminal charges. According to human rights activists, more than 300 detainees were subjected to torture and inhumane treatment. Eighty protesters required hospitalization after being detained.

You Might Also Like

Vetting Russians in Georgia
  • June 03, 2022

Vetting Russians in Georgia

Georgians welcome Russians fleeing their country, but only if they don't support the war in Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955