00:37, 2 February 2017

Zugdidi: forced migrants stitch up their mouths in protest

Artist Petr Pavlensky stitches up his mouth in protest against persecution of Pussy Riot group, Saint Petersburg, July 2012. Photo: http://saint-petersburg.ru/m/spb/old/311648/?mobile_redirect=false

The forced migrants, who live in the Zugdidi district hospital disagree with the assessment of their living conditions and demand from the Government of Georgia to provide them with housing. In protest, five of them have sewn up their mouths.

Now, the former building of the hospital houses 58 families, including up to 40 minors, the "Georgia-Online" reported on February 1, referring to migrants.

"We want officials from the Ministry for Refugees to come and recheck our points for benefits and other help. We were forced to attract attention in this manner; and if in future they fail to help us, other migrants will join our action and sew up their mouths; at the moment, five persons have done it," the edition named “Life.ru” quoted the words of one of the protesting women on January 31, 2017.

The Ministry for Refugees of Georgia has stated that the protesters’ actions will not affect the duration of procedures.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.