US prepares new sanctions against Georgia over suppression of protests - Blinken
Kyiv • UNN
The United States condemns the violence of the Georgian Dream party against protesters and is preparing additional sanctions. Earlier, the US had already imposed visa restrictions on about a hundred Georgian officials. Ukraine has also imposed sanctions against the Georgian authorities.
The United States is preparing to impose new sanctions against the Georgian authorities in response to the undermining of democracy in the country. This is stated in a statement by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, according to UNN.
The statement reads that The United States strongly condemns the violence by the Georgian Dream party against Georgian citizens, protesters, media representatives, and opposition figures.
We call on Georgian Dream to cease its repressive tactics, including the use of arbitrary detention and physical violence to silence its critics. We are particularly concerned about reports of serious injuries sustained by people at the hands of law enforcement. Those detained for exercising their human rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression must be released immediately, and officials responsible for the unlawful use of force must be held fully accountable
He also emphasized that "in addition to continuing our previously announced comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation, the United States is now preparing to use the tools at our disposal, including additional sanctions.
Over the past six months, the United States has imposed visa sanctions on approximately one hundred Georgian officials responsible for undermining democracy.
Addendum
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to sanction representatives of the Georgian authorities who support the policies of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
Add
The situation in Georgia is escalating. On Wednesday, December 4, Georgian police conducted a series of searches in the offices of opposition parties and detained several opposition leaders. Among the detainees are Nika Gvaramia and other activists, some of whom report the use of force. Opposition forces and human rights activists call such actions of the police political persecution, and their supporters are organizing new protests.
