China has officially launched the world’s largest distributed computing center for artificial intelligence, spanning 40 cities and stretching over 2,000 kilometers, Azernews reports.
Day: December 12, 2025
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Jill Edwards, in an interview with the independent outlet Formula, commented on the possible use of chemical agents during the dispersal of protests in Georgia. She said that Georgian Dream “cannot investigate its own actions”, adding that this is one of the core principles of international law.
Edwards also outlined the Council of Europe’s mechanisms and urged the Georgian Dream government to follow them. She cited the example of Serbia, where President Aleksandar Vucic was accused of using acoustic weapons against demonstrators, and shortly afterwards the European Court banned the Serbian authorities from using sound-based devices to disperse protests.
In her conversation with Formula, the UN special rapporteur also commented on the actions of the Georgian police in the context of torture, using the word “weapon” to describe the means employed against protesters.
Jill Edwards said: “One of the fundamental principles of international law is that a government cannot investigate itself. One of the most important aspects of state authority is its transparency, and that requires investigations that are transparent, independent and impartial. For example, I would urge [Georgian Dream] to use the Council of Europe’s mechanisms.
“We have seen these mechanisms applied in investigations in Serbia, where protests took place around the same time as in Georgia, and those inquiries focused on the use of acoustic weapons, which are also experimental. There is precedent for such investigations, and I believe this is exactly the path that should be followed.
“I sent a letter to the Georgian government together with other special rapporteurs, and we still have not received an official response regarding the investigations they say they have carried out, the chemical agents used, and the way those agents were deployed. Until I receive official information, much remains unclear to me.
“The number of injuries is disproportionate to the scale of the protest. It is also disproportionate compared with similar protests elsewhere, and this is a cause for serious concern — especially the large number of head injuries.
“All of this needs to be investigated to ensure proper medical treatment. Some people may require long-term care. These are very dangerous trends.
“There are clear rules on how police should manage protests. There are rules on legality and proportionality. It is obvious that proportionality has been a major issue in the context of the protests in Georgia and needs far closer examination.
“Although Georgia is outside the EU, it has very strict anti-torture standards, and the weapon allegedly used — in particular the mixture of water and chemical substances, which I consider to be an experimental weapon and therefore prohibited — requires serious investigation. I will continue to press the authorities to carry it out.”
UN special rapporteur on torture – on Georgia
Tamar Taliashvili, Georgia’s ambassador to the United States, met with Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), whose opposition has reportedly stalled progress on the MEGOBARI Act – a U.S. sanctions bill targeting officials from the Georgian Dream party.
The meeting comes amid reports that supporters of the MEGOBARI Act – which has been stuck in the Senate since passing the House in May – were unable to attach the measure to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), despite earlier hopes that linking it to the annual “must-pass” legislation would boost its chances of advancing.
“During the meeting, the perspectives to foster Georgian-U.S. relations were discussed,” Taliashvili said in a Facebook post on December 12. She thanked Mullin for his “personal contribution” to bilateral ties and described him as “a true friend of Georgia.”
According to the post, the talks also covered the regional situation, current developments, and President Donald Trump’s peace initiatives, as well as opportunities on the international stage.
The MEGOBARI Act is a bipartisan bill that would mandate sanctions against Georgian officials over acts of abuse and corruption related to blocking the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration. It passed the House of Representatives in May with overwhelming bipartisan support, but has since stalled in the Senate amid the reported opposition, including from Mullin.
Mullin was reported by The Hill in September to have persuaded Senate Majority Leader John Thune to remove the MEGOBARI Act from the managers’ package of the NDAA. The Hill also said that Mullin earlier blocked an attempt to pass the legislation by unanimous consent.
Mullin’s position marked a shift from his earlier criticism of Georgian Dream. In 2020, he accused the GD of cozying up with “American hostile rivals and enemies.” In a September interview with The Hill, however, Mullin said he opposed the bill after developing a “better relationship” with Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze, arguing that sanctions could harm U.S.-Georgia relations.
“I understand kind of where they’re [GD] trying to get to. I also understand the direct influence that Russia is having and kind of stirring up disdain, I guess, inside the government,” Mullin said, as quoted by The Hill.
“And so I want to be able to work with them before we throw sanctions on them. I want to work with them to see how they can, you know, have true sovereignty, to get away from the overbearing influence of Russia.”
The Hill later reported that the advance of MEGOBARI Act was blocked again, this time by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who reportedly declined a personal request from House Speaker Mike Johnson in November to include the bill in the NDAA.
Separately, a delegation from Georgia’s opposition United National Movement party also visited Washington in December, meeting with officials from the White House and the State Department. UNM leader Tina Bokuchava said the visit also included a meeting with Thune.
Also Read:
- 04/12/2025 – Helsinki Commission Urges U.S. to Verify BBC Report, Sanction Those Responsible
- 01/12/2025 – Backgrounder: MEGOBARI Act – Status and Possible Path Forward
- 18/11/2025 – Jonathan Askonas, State Department Representative, Visits Georgia
- 14/05/2025 – GD Parliament: MEGOBARI Act “Extremely Hostile” and “Factually Flawed”
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