The court upheld the Public Service Development Agency’s decision revoking the short-term temporary residence permit of Francis Prymerski, a French photographer and videographer living in Georgia.

Francis Prymerski appealed the agency’s decision in court in April and requested its annulment.

According to his lawyer, Prymerski had lived in Georgia for years and held a temporary residence permit. In March of this year, his permit was extended for the second time; however, just a few days after it was issued, he was unexpectedly informed that the agency had revoked his granted short-term temporary residence permit.

According to the lawyer, the agency’s decision does not specify any concrete factual circumstances, making it unknown what facts the ruling was based on. The act cites only a legal norm, according to which Francis Prymerski’s continued stay in Georgia is allegedly contrary to Georgia’s interests.

This is not the first instance in which obstacles have been created for the work of foreign journalists and activists in Georgia. Since the start of the pro-European protests, numerous similar cases have surfaced—including denials of entry into the country, border-crossing restrictions, refusals to issue residence permits, and the revocation of already issued permits. These cases raise questions regarding the legal grounds for such decisions and their potential impact on the work of journalists and activists. CMIS describes these cases in detail.