Лев Михеев. Фото: t.me/prava_na_prytulak
Belarusian political refugee Leu Mikheyeu, who was deported from Georgia, has received a temporary identity document in Armenia, where he has applied for asylum. He told Pozirk that the document was issued by the Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia’s Interior Ministry.
According to Mikheyeu, the temporary identity document is valid for three months. If his asylum application is not reviewed within that period, the document can be extended for another three months. The procedure can be repeated if necessary.
“Even if my application is rejected, I can appeal the decision in court. But I hope for a positive outcome,” he said.
The next step will be an interview with the migration service. A certified interpreter must be arranged for the interview. Mikheyeu plans to attend with his lawyer.
He also said that he had already submitted evidence of politically motivated persecution in Belarus to the Armenian authorities.
“In Georgia, the department does not respond to calls or messages at all. It’s a black box — it’s impossible to get through or get anything done. Here, I managed to contact them via WhatsApp,” he noted.
On September 25, Mikheyeu was deported from Georgia to Armenia after five years of unsuccessful attempts to obtain international protection. According to a statement by Georgia’s Interior Ministry, a final decision rejecting his asylum application was issued on June 29, although Mikheyeu said he had not been aware of it. He was detained while visiting the Migration Department of Georgia’s Interior Ministry and deported to Armenia within 24 hours.
Upon arriving in Yerevan, Mikheyeu was also detained because he is listed in the CIS wanted database at the request of the Belarusian authorities. He was released shortly afterwards. Following his deportation, the activist appealed to Belarusians for financial support. The BySol fund organized a fundraiser to cover rent, utility bills, food and other initial expenses in Armenia.