Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s Foreign Minister, announced additional sanctions against 14 Georgian officials and judges, including Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, in response to the brutal and repressive regime targeting peaceful citizens. The decision comes ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council slated for December 16, which is scheduled to consider the Union-wide sanctions against the Georgian Dream officials.
“The violence the Georgian authorities are using against protesters, journalists, and opposition leaders is unacceptable, criminal, and against human rights,” Tsahkna said in a statement. “I call on all European Union countries to respond to what is happening in Georgia and impose specific measures against those who use undue force and brutal violence against the people of Georgia and undermine democracy.”
Estonia has sanctioned 25 Georgian officials by now. The latest measures come amid mounting international criticism over the Georgian government’s handling of protests sparked by Kobakhidze’s controversial announcement to suspend Georgia’s EU integration process until 2028.
The protests, which erupted after the ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision, were met with excessive force, including tear gas, water cannons, and physical assaults on peaceful demonstrators. Activists and opposition leaders reported widespread raids on their offices and homes, arbitrary detentions, and instances of alleged torture and mistreatment.
The international backlash has not been limited to Europe. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced new visa restrictions targeting individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia. Meanwhile, senior U.S. senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Jim Risch (R-ID) have urged the Biden administration to take further action.
As Georgia’s political crisis deepens, international allies appear increasingly united in their condemnation, signaling growing pressure on Tbilisi to reverse its trajectory away from European integration.
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