19 August 2010, 15:00
President of Meskhetian Turks arrested in Georgia
On July 26, in the city of Akhaltsikh (administrative centre of the Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti District of Georgia), Suleiman Barbakadze, a citizen of Russia and president of the "Vatan", international organization of Meskhetian Turks, was arrested. This was reported today by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".
For several last years, Mr Barbakadze and his organization have been fighting for return of the nation, deported during Stalin's repressions to its historical homeland in Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti.
According to human rights activists, when Meskhetian Turks move within Georgia, they face serious obstacles: restrictions stipulated by legal acts, lack of allocated budgetary funds and demarches of nationalist opposition.
Suleiman Barbakadze is accused of swindle. The "Memorial" believes, that "Mr Barbakadze's public role requires special attention to this case of human rights activists and authorities of Georgia."
