Which nationals applied for asylum in Georgia in first half of 2017?

Russian Mission to United Nations has blocked press elements at yesterday's UN Secutiry Council meeting supporting Georgia's sovereignty. Photo by Agenda.ge/Nino Alavidze

Agenda.ge, 16 Aug 2017 - 12:51, Tbilisi,Georgia

A total of 379 foreign citizens applied for asylum in Georgia in the first six months of 2017.

Georgia’s Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees said that statistically, the greatest number of asylum requests came from these countries:

Iraq – 67
Turkey – 41
Egypt – 40
Iran – 38
India – 24
Russia – 22

The Ministry also said that of these, Georgia turned down 169 requests; another 121 applications were canceled due to personal request of the applicant.

A total of 46 applicants were granted asylum in Georgian in the first half of 2017. Of these, 24 received a refugee status while 22 were granted a humanitarian status.

In 2016, Georgia granted asylum to 947 foreigner citizens, in 2015 this number was 1449 while in 2014 it was 1792. This number was 719 in 2013 and it was 599 in 2012.