Grant asylum to Giorgi and his grandmother Katy in order that he remains in Glasgow, safe from the threat of violence or trafficking in Georgia.
Why is this important?
Giorgi is now 13 years old and was given 30 months leave to remain in the UK in July 2018.
He is an orphan and his residence permit, and that of his grandmother (his legal guardian), expired on December 28, 2020. He once again faces an uncertain future and is effectively living on borrowed time. Giorgi and his late mother, Sophie, fled Georgia, a former Soviet republic, and came to Glasgow when he was three years old. She feared his life was in mortal danger because his father owed money to gangsters who threatened to take him and sell him to pay the debt.
I have known Giorgi since he was at the primary school where I am chaplain and he is a gentle, thoughtful, intelligent and funny boy. He is now in high school and thriving, socially and academically.
Giorgi's mother died after a long and painful illness and I, a Church of Scotland minister, conducted her funeral and have been supporting him ever since. Sophie was in the middle of an asylum application when she died and her dying wish was that he grew up a Scottish boy in a safe and secure environment. However, he is still at risk of being sent back to a country he does not remember. The Home Office must show moral courage and do the right thing to ensure that he remains in Glasgow where he belongs. I have watched this young man grow and I have been so inspired by his progress. He is a delight to be around and I fully believe that if we support him now, he will become an asset to our country in the future.
Giorgi is, to all intents and purposes, a Scottish teenager and his life is in this country. If he was returned to Georgia against his will, he would be under threat and his future would be very bleak.
Please help us to keep Giorgi in Glasgow. This is the only home he has ever known and he is proud to be from Springburn. His schooling would be disrupted and his life would be at risk in Georgia. Or worse!
