June 20 Marks World Refugee Day
June 20 marks World Refugee Day. The aim of this day is to pay special attention to the vulnerable category of people who have been forced to leave their countries due to conflicts and human rights violations and seek safe asylum in foreign countries.
There are more than 89 million displaced people in the world,[1] including approximately 27 million refugees, half of whom are minors. Refugees need special attention from the host countries in order to realize their legal, social and economic rights.
This year it is especially important to raise awareness and disseminate information about the rights of refugees, as millions of Ukrainian citizens have become refugees as a result of the military aggression of the Russian Federation. More than 7 million Ukrainians[2] have fled their homeland and taken refuge in European countries, including in Georgia.
Although the citizens of Ukraine have been provided with adequate and immediate assistance by the Government and the private sector, their resettlement and access to social and economic services remain problematic. As a result of the monitoring carried out by the representatives of the Public Defender's Office and the study of the applications of Ukrainian citizens, it becomes clear that long-term resettlement is a special problem.
The Public Defender hopes that the Government will take all measures to provide decent conditions for the citizens of Ukraine who have taken refuge in Georgia.
In the context of the World Refugee Day, the Public Defender of Georgia is once again responding to the rights situation of Insa Oguz at the Dariali border checkpoint. The journalist is still in the neutral zone, under inappropriate conditions. She has not yet been referred to the Migration Department and has no access to the asylum procedure. The Public Defender of Georgia calls on the relevant authorities to provide Insa Oguz with minimum living conditions and access to a safe area and international protection.
The right to asylum is a right guaranteed by human rights law. Therefore, it is important for the State to protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, which are enshrined in international and national laws.
The Public Defender of Georgia joins the celebration of the World Refugee Day and hopes that international protection of refugees and asylum seekers will be ensured and long-term solutions to their problems will be promoted.
