Both the United States and Iran made military requests to Sri Lanka in late February, just days before Israel and the US attacked Iran, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (pictured) said on Friday, AzerNEWS reports.
Day: March 20, 2026
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US sanctions against Georgian Dream
A group of US senators and congressmen is urging the US administration, in coordination with European partners, to increase pressure on the Georgian government. They call for sanctions and other measures to push Tbilisi to take into account a critical report prepared under the OSCE’s “Moscow Mechanism”.
OSCE “Moscow Mechanism” report and sharp criticism
In a joint statement, US lawmakers highlight the findings of the OSCE’s “Moscow Mechanism” report. They say it raises serious concerns about Georgia’s democratic trajectory. The statement accuses the ruling Georgian Dream party of steering the country towards authoritarianism and “suppressing freedoms won by the people”.
They describe the report as a signal that international partners need to take stronger and more coordinated action.
Call for sanctions and political prisoners issue
Senators and congressmen urge Washington and its European allies to use all available tools, including sanctions, to pressure the Georgian government to implement the report’s recommendations.
The statement outlines several key demands:
- the release of political prisoners;
- the closure of politically motivated cases against opposition politicians;
- the repeal of what it describes as “undemocratic and unjust laws”.
Bipartisan support in Washington
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have backed the initiative, highlighting its significance in US politics as a bipartisan issue. The statement was signed by Senator Roger Wicker, Congressman Joe Wilson, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressman Steve Cohen and Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
Their joint position suggests that Georgia’s democratic trajectory remains firmly on Washington’s agenda and could shape a more coordinated and tougher Western approach in the near future.
‘Moscow Mechanism‘
On 12 March, the OSCE published a report under its “Moscow Mechanism”, pointing to a deterioration in human rights and fundamental freedoms in Georgia. The nearly 217-page document details developments since early 2024. It highlights democratic backsliding, human rights violations, pressure on the media, the targeting of protesters and opposition figures, and the adoption of repressive laws.
The Georgian government criticised the report. Officials said it does not reflect the full political and legal reality in the country. Georgia’s permanent representative to the OSCE, Alexandre Maisuradze, said the document contains factual inaccuracies, selective interpretations and politically biased conclusions, which, he argued, call its credibility into question.
US sanctions against Georgian Dream