Russian citizen Denis Kulanin, who was convicted in Georgia … and pardoned by the president, will remain at the Migration Department until his expulsion to a third country is completed. This was reported by the human rights organization Rights Georgia and his lawyer, Dmitry Nozadze.
Judge Nino Shcherbakova granted a petition by the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia, ruling it expedient to place Denis Kulanin in a temporary accommodation center for up to three months—until the expulsion procedure is concluded.
In its motion, the Ministry of Internal Affairs cited a risk that Denis Kulanin might abscond and evade the expulsion procedure.
Rights Georgia noted that “the court disregarded the motion filed by Denis Kulanin’s defense attorneys and the flight tickets to a third country submitted as evidence, ruling to place the Russian citizen in the temporary accommodation center.”
“We presented the tickets, and he will stay at the Migration Department for a few days until the departure time indicated on them,” lawyer Dmitry Nozadze stated.
Russian national Denis Kulanin was detained on March 28, 2025, on Rustaveli Avenue during pro-European protests. He was charged with damaging an Interior Ministry vehicle and sentenced to two years in prison. A few days ago, Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned 226 people on the occasion of the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Mariamoba), with Kulanin among them. However, because he is a foreign national, he was not released, but rather transferred from prison to the Migration Department.
Denis Kulanin faced deportation to Russia; however, according to his lawyer, expulsion to the Russian Federation is inadmissible and poses a danger, as he had sent a letter from prison expressing wishes for peace and glory to Ukraine. Under the law, Kulanin had the right to opt for departure from Georgia to a third country rather than Russia, and he chose to do so.
