Russian citizen Denis Kulanin, who was convicted in Georgia following his participation in protests and subsequently pardoned by the president, has left the country. As reported by the human rights organization Rights Georgia, he departed from Tbilisi International Airport. His destination has not been specified, though Kulanin had previously planned to travel to Armenia.
Earlier today, the Tbilisi City Court granted a motion by the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Migration Department seeking the expulsion of the Russian citizen from the country. Kulanin was given a seven-day window to voluntarily leave Georgia. He was also permitted to choose his destination country independently.
As a reminder, Denis Kulanin, a participant in pro-European demonstrations, was detained on March 28, 2025, on Rustaveli Avenue on charges of damaging an Interior Ministry vehicle and sentenced to two years of imprisonment. On August 28, 2026, President Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned 226 convicts, including the Russian national. However, all were released except for Kulanin. Under an earlier ruling by the Tbilisi City Court, he was transferred to the Migration Department’s Temporary Accommodation Center pending the completion of the deportation procedure.
On September 1, Kulanin was scheduled to leave voluntarily for Armenia after his defense attorneys presented a flight ticket, passport, and boarding pass to both the court and the Temporary Accommodation Center. However, the Migration Department stated that he could not leave without a court ruling. Human rights advocates had raised concerns that Kulanin might be handed over to Russia, where his safety would be at risk.
