Laura Avtorkhanova, who fled domestic violence in Chechnya and was seeking refuge in Georgia, was found by her relatives in Tbilisi. A shelter worker who was trying to help her was beaten.
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The human rights group Marem reported late at night that several Chechens attempted to abduct Laura Avtorkhanova. Later, Laura informed them that her relatives had taken her to a police station to make a statement declaring that she was voluntarily leaving Georgia and returning to Russia.
In the early morning, the rights group wrote on Telegram that Laura had given a statement at the police station and answered officers' questions.
“Laura is now going to a safe location. It is worth noting that the police also plan to investigate how her relatives managed to get so close to her despite a restraining order,” the organization wrote on Telegram.
According to Marem, her relatives had previously tried to locate her in Georgia. They had threatened Laura’s friends and even filed a complaint with the police. After Laura arrived at the police station with a lawyer, she was removed from the wanted list. According to Marem, she was issued a protective order by the police, who also promised to notify her if her relatives entered Georgia.
On July 13, a shelter worker found Laura Avtorkhanova at a café, surrounded by her sister and five Chechen men.
“The girl managed to send a message and her geolocation to the staff of the Georgian shelter where she was staying. When the staff member arrived at the café with some friends using the location data, she found Laura with her sister and five Chechen men, who attacked and beat her. Laura was taken away,” the rights group reported.
According to the human rights defenders, Laura had been a victim of domestic violence in Chechnya. Her relatives controlled her movements and forced her to hand over her salary. Before escaping, Laura left a note saying that she had left home voluntarily and should not be searched for.
Update:
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia denies reports that a foreign woman residing in Georgia was abducted or that there was an attempt to abduct her.
“Immediate legal action was taken in response to the circulated information, and all relevant circumstances related to L.A. were investigated. Communication occurred between L.A. and law enforcement officers. According to her statement, she was not threatened or subjected to any other form of crime. L.A. will be transferred to a victim shelter,” the ministry stated.
The ministry’s statement does not mention the alleged beating of the shelter representative by the Chechens. According to Marem, the victim of the assault had gone to the police station and filed a complaint.
