Georgia resumes extradition of prisoners to Russia

Georgia has resumed the extradition of prisoners to Russia, marking a shift in policy after a three-year hiatus following Russia's expulsion from the Council of Europe in 2022. According to Giorgi Burjanadze, the Georgian Ministry of Justice has reportedly made decisions to extradite three individuals in February, July, and recently, following a court ruling.

A Tbilisi court recently approved the extradition of Mikhail Timofeev, a Russian citizen detained in Georgia in January. Timofeev, an associate of former Khabarovsk governor Sergei Furgal, is seeking asylum and claims his life is at risk in Russia, where he faces a 22-year prison sentence. His legal team is appealing the decision and seeking intervention from the European Court of Human Rights.

Critics argue that extraditing individuals to Russia poses significant human rights risks, as there are no guarantees that their fundamental rights will be protected in a country that is no longer a member of the European Convention.