UK and US Impose Sanctions on Georgian Officials Including Vakhtang Gomelauri for Crackdown on Pro-EU Protests

Dec 19, 2024, 02:33 PM

The United Kingdom and the United States have imposed sanctions on several senior Georgian officials for their roles in a violent crackdown on pro-European Union protests in Georgia. The UK has sanctioned five individuals, including Vakhtang Gomelauri, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, along with three high-ranking police chiefs: Sulkhan Tamazashvili, Zviad Kharazishvili, and Mileri Lagazauri. These sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes, and were coordinated with the US, which has also sanctioned Georgian officials under the Global Magnitsky Act. The actions follow reports of excessive force used against peaceful protesters and journalists, with 72 reporters attacked during the protests. The crackdown is seen as a response to the Georgian government's decision to pause EU accession negotiations, a move that has sparked widespread public opposition and is viewed as undermining Georgia's constitutional commitment to a European future.