On August 10, 2011 at 10:30 a.m., press-conference on issues related to eviction of IDPs was held at the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association.
On August 5, 2011, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia provided IDPs living in the Hotel Abkhazia, Tbilisi with individual notices stating that their eviction from the hotel was expected to occur on August 15.
It is noteworthy that the building has a status of a compact settlement object where internally displaced persons have been registered and living in since 1991.
Under the ordinance of the Minister of Interior Affairs of Georgia N747, dated May 24, 2007, upon submission of an IDP card (certifying lawful ownership), the police shall terminate the procedures for eviction of IDPs from the compact settlement. It should also be noted that in similar cases the law of Georgia on Internally Displaced Persons categorically prohibits eviction of IDPs from a compact settlement until the jurisdiction is restored on the corresponding territory. Furthermore, under the law, issues related to housing solutions shall be settled by court. Considering that offers laid out in individual notices by the Ministry is unacceptable to IDPs living in the Hotel Abkhazia and the dispute has not been brought before court, the GYLA believes that the police is not authorized for the eviction.
With GYLA's assistance, IDPs applied to court on August 9 with a request for issuing a temporary verdict that would prohibit the Ministry of Interior Affairs from evicting them until the dispute is finally settled (as of now, the court has not yet delivered its decision).
The GYLA calls on the Interior Ministry to act in full compliance with the law and terminate procedures for eviction of IDPs from the Hotel Abkhazia. GYLA also calls on the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia to protect interest of IDPs and refrain from issuing a consent for their eviction until a willful consent is reached.
ჯ. კახიძის #15, თბილისი, საქართველო, 0102 ; ტელ: (995 32) 95 23 53; ფაქსი: (995 32) 92 32 11; ელ-ფოსტა: gyla@gyla.ge; www.gyla.ge
15, J. Kakhidze str. 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: (995 32) 95 23 53; Fax: (995 32) 92 32 11; E-mail: gyla@gyla.ge; www.gyla.ge