A new criminal case has been opened against Crimean Tatar activist Tofik Abdulgaziyev, who suffers from a number of serious illnesses, including a malignant brain tumor and tuberculosis, under the article on contempt of court (Part 2 of Article 297 of the Russian Criminal Code). This was reported by Crimean Solidarity, citing a comment from lawyer Emil Kurbedinov.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized Brussels' demands to join sanctions against Russia. He said these calls were inappropriate, given that the EU itself is a major importer of Russian products.
The Prime Minister emphasized that several European countries considered pro-Western had not imposed sanctions, which, he believed, demonstrated double standards and a targeting of Georgia. Previously, the ambassadors of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom stated that they were not asking Georgia to open a second front, but merely wanted the country to join the sanctions against Russia.
The Prime Minister placed particular emphasis on UK sanctions against the Georgian television channels Imedi and POSTV, accusing London of infringing on freedom of speech. The Georgian Dream party, he said, intends to protect these pro-government media outlets.
As a reminder, London recently accused television channels of spreading disinformation about the war and portraying the Ukrainian government as "illegitimate" and a "Western puppet." The sanctions include freezing the assets and property of companies in the UK.