Russian-born activist Denis Kulanin, who was convicted of damaging a police vehicle during a protest last year and was pardoned by Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili, is on a dry hunger strike. He is being held at the Migration Department of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs and faces deportation to Russia.

As Kulanin’s lawyer, Marina Meskhi, told InterPressNews, the defense lawyers are applying to the court to have Denis Kulanin deported to a third country instead of his country of origin. According to Meskhi, Georgian law allows them to request this.

Meskhi visited Denis Kulanin at the facility today and said she urged him to end his hunger strike. Accordingly, she does not know whether he has stopped the hunger strike at this time.

“He looked unwell - he had lost weight and his face was darkened. He had declared a dry hunger strike because he did not know what awaited him, and he did not even know where his passport was. He had no information that we had purchased a plane ticket for him to a third country. I calmed him down and told him that under the law, he has the right to leave for a third country. The main thing is for the court and the Migration Department to give us permission. I told him that we are doing everything we can to ensure that he can go to a third country. I asked him to eat because there will be a court hearing today and he needs to have the strength, and that everything will be fine. I do not know whether he has stopped the hunger strike. Lawyer Tsiala Ratiani and I spoke with him, but I do not know what decision he made.

“The court must decide on his deportation. Generally, people are deported to their country of origin. His country of origin is Russia, where he faces a threat. Under the law, he has the right to go to a third country. We have purchased tickets to a third country for him, but the court, together with the Migration Department, must make the decision,” Meskhi said.

For the record, Denis Kulanin is a Russian-born activist who lived in Georgia. He was arrested on March 28, 2025. He was charged under Article 187, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which concerns damage to another person’s property. According to the charge, he damaged a police vehicle.

Denis Kulanin was sentenced to two years in prison.

President Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned nine people convicted in connection with their participation in protests: Daniel Mumladze, Guram Khutashvili, Fridon Bubuteishvili, Denis Kulanin, Saba Jikia, Davit Khomeriki, Tornike Mchedlishvili, Simon Makharadze, and Avtandil Topchishvili.