24th Day of Protest – Representatives from Different Parts of Georgia for Georgia’s European Future

Today, representatives from different parts of Georgia are holding a protest march in Tbilisi. Mingrelians, Adjarians, Meskheti, Rachvians – are gathering on various streets of Tbilisi and heading towards the parliament. Their demands are: holding new parliamentary elections and releasing those detained.

According to unofficial data, up to 200,000 citizens gathered at the joint rally.

The protest was preceded by several important events. The US imposed financial sanctions on the Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri. In addition to him, Mirza Kezevadze, one of the deputies of the head of the State Department, Zviad Kharazishvili, has also been sanctioned.

The relevant decision was published on the website of the US Treasury Department. They are sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act, which involves freezing financial assets and restricting entry into the US.

The Magnitsky Act was adopted in 2012 and covers individuals and legal entities who, according to Washington, are involved in human rights violations and corruption. Zviad Kharazishvili has also been sanctioned under the same act.

The United Kingdom also imposed sanctions on senior officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: Vakhtang Gomelauri, his deputy Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Director of the Tbilisi Police Department Sulkhan Tamazashvili, Head of the General Directorate of Internal Affairs Zviad Kharazishvili and his deputy Miller Lagazauri.

The individuals mentioned are prohibited from entering the United Kingdom and their assets in the UK economy, if any, will be frozen.

UK statement:

“The United Kingdom is imposing sanctions on Georgian officials responsible for the brutal crackdown on the media and protesters.

The five individuals sanctioned for human rights violations include the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Director of the Tbilisi Police Department.

The sanctions follow measures taken by the UK government last week to suspend support for Georgian government programmes and limit defence cooperation.

The UK, acting in coordination with the United States, has imposed sanctions on five senior officials responsible for violent attacks on journalists and peaceful protesters in Georgia.

The Georgian authorities have launched a systematic crackdown on demonstrators, civil society, the media and opposition figures after public opposition to the Georgian Dream’s decision to halt the country’s European path.

This decision undermines a fundamental provision of the Georgian Constitution and is considered the latest move by the Georgian Dream to make Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin.”

The sanctioned individuals are:

Vakhtang Gomelauri – Minister of Internal Affairs
Alexander Darakhvelidze – Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
Sulkhan Tamazashvili – Director of the Tbilisi Police Department
Zviad Kharazishvili – Head of the Special Tasks Department
Miller Lagazauri – Deputy Head of the Special Tasks Department

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