Photo: Portraits of Abdullah Gamidov, his wife Khalida, and her father Zia Chumidze lie on the checkerboard in the Gamidov's house in Kant, Kyrgystan. Zia Chumidze was fighting at the frontline when the deportation happened and never made it home. © Temo Bardzimashvili
From Georgia, Central Asia, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States; the perpetual exile of the Ahıska Turks was part of Stalin's horrific deportations against ethnic minorities. The Ahıska were forced from their homes in Georgia to live imprisoned lives in Central Asia. After facing ethnic violence in the 1990s, persecution in the 2000s, and currently as refugees; the Ahıska have managed to preserve its culture and sense of community. This report briefly describes the Ahıska, their deportation, their persecutions, and the ongoing struggle to return home.