UK imposes sanctions on Georgian Interior Ministry leadership
The UK has imposed sanctions on five senior Georgian officials, including the Interior Minister, his assistant, and three police chiefs. The restrictions target, in particular, Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, head of the Special Tasks Department Zviad Kharazishvil, and Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Darakhvelidze. They were accused of "brutal suppression of the media and protesters." The measures include a travel ban to the UK and an asset freeze.
Earlier, Britain suspended all aid programs to Georgia, stopped defense cooperation, and limited interaction with the new Georgian government.
17 OSCE member states called on the Georgian authorities to stop violence against protesters.
"The Georgian Dream party continues to use repressive tactics, including arbitrary detentions and physical violence, to silence critics," the 17 countries said in a joint statement.
These include the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden.
