Georgian authorities have denied entry to Marina Klimchuk, a German citizen of Ukrainian origin who is eight months pregnant. This was reported by the Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
According to the journalist, she arrived in Tbilisi on May 11, but was informed at passport control that she was barred from entering the country due to an unpaid administrative fine. Klimchuk maintains that she had received no prior notification of any fine and was unaware of its existence.
The journalist stated that last year she was briefly present near a protest on Rustaveli Avenue and suspects that the refusal could be linked to either those events or her professional work.
“Could the reason be my articles?” she said.
Marina Klimchuk contributes to several German and Swiss publications, including Tageszeitung, Zeit, and FAS (Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung). She covers events in Ukraine, human rights issues, and the situation in Georgia. Her work includes reports on the Anaklia port project and interviews with Georgian opposition politicians.
The journalist said that airport officials withheld documents explaining the grounds for the entry ban for a significant period. She was eventually handed a decision citing the unpaid fine as the reason. Klimchuk claims she was prepared to pay the amount and even transferred 3,000 GEL (Georgian Lari) to the designated account; however, she says border guards still refused to admit her.
The journalist spent nearly 24 hours in a temporary detention room at Tbilisi Airport. She complained about the lack of basic amenities:
“There was neither a blanket nor a pillow,” Klimchuk said.
Lawyer Mariam Jikia, representing the journalist, stated that in similar cases, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) typically cites “other reasons” for entry bans without providing details; however, in this instance, the unpaid fine was officially listed as the grounds.
This is not the first instance of foreign journalists and activists being denied entry. Previously, French and British journalists, as well as Russian opposition activists, have faced similar restrictions.
