Ireland High Court upholds Georgian couple's refugee status appeal refusal in Dublin
A Georgian man and his wife, Jehovah's Witnesses, were assaulted on multiple occasions in Georgia due to their religious beliefs, including being thrown out of their home by his father after he converted from the Georgian Orthodox Church. The couple came to Ireland three years before the judgment and applied for international protection. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal accepted the man's account of the assaults but found effective state protection was available in Georgia. High Court Judge Anthony Barr upheld the tribunal's refusal of refugee status, finding no error in relying on US State Department reports from 2020 and 2022 as country of origin information.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court5 Nov
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The man was assaulted on multiple occasions in Georgia due to his religious beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness, including being thrown out of his home by his father after converting from the Georgian Orthodox Church.
- The man required hospital admission after being assaulted by a group near his accommodation and was again detained in hospital following a separate assault while distributing religious leaflets.
- The man was assaulted by his neighbours after not relocating.
- When
- The couple came to Ireland three years before the judgment.
- Investigation
- The man reported the two latter assaults to the police.
- In court
- The International Protection Appeals Tribunal accepted the man's account of assaults and being thrown out of his home by his father.
- The tribunal found effective state protection was available in Georgia despite the applicants' reasonable fear of persecution or serious harm.
- High Court Judge Anthony Barr upheld the tribunal's refusal of refugee status.
- The judge rejected arguments that the tribunal erred in relying on US State Department reports from 2020 and 2022 as country of origin information.
- Other details
- The applicants are a Georgian couple and their Irish-born child.
9 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man was assaulted on other occasions in Georgia because of his new faith. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man required hospital admission after being assaulted by a group near his accommodation due to his religious beliefs. (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe was again detained in hospital following a separate assault while distributing religious leaflets. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man was assaulted by his neighbours after not relocating. (irishtimes.com)
- whatDays after the neighbours' assault, the man and his wife left Georgia and came to Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe couple came to Ireland three years before the judgment. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe man reported the two latter assaults to the police. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe International Protection Appeals Tribunal accepted the man was assaulted and thrown out of his home by his father after converting from the Georgian Orthodox Church. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge rejected arguments that the tribunal erred in relying on US State Department reports from 2020 and 2022 as country of origin information. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 5 Nov2026Jehovah’s Witness couple with Irish-born child lose refugee status appeal
High Court Judge Anthony Barr upheld the tribunal's refusal of refugee status, accepting the man's account of assaults in Georgia but finding effective state protection available there.
victim, male, Georgian, non-irishvictim, female, Georgian, non-irishvictim, Irish, irishsuspect, male, Georgian, non-irish