U.S. Imposes Additional Visa Restrictions on Those Responsible for Undermining Democracy in Georgia
On December 12, the U.S. Department of State announced additional measures under the Visa Restriction Policy prohibiting the issuance of visas to those responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia. The action affects approximately twenty individuals, including those serving as government ministers and parliamentarians, law enforcement and security officials, and private citizens. The individuals subject to visa restrictions, have not been not named by the State Department.
The press statement by the State Department Press Spokesperson Mathew Miller said: “The United States strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party’s ongoing, brutal, and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, including protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures.”
Noting that the Georgian Dream has turned away from Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future, “which the Georgian people overwhelmingly desire and the Georgian constitution envisions” the statement says the U.S. is committed to seeing that senior officials responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy will be subject to visa restrictions.
Stressing that the action demonstrates U.S. resolve and adds to previously announced actions implicating more than 100 Georgian Dream-affiliated individuals and their family members, the statement notes that additional sanctions are underway, to hold to account those who undermine democracy in Georgia.
The Department of State’s steps to impose visa restrictions were taken pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, under the policy Secretary Blinken announced in May 2024.
Also Read:
- 09/12/2024 – U.S. Embassy: All Responsible for Violence Must be Held Accountable
- 05/12/2024 – U.S. Secretary of State Condemns Georgian Dream’s Violence, Promises Additional Sanctions
- 04/12/2024 – U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson Calls for Sanctions on Georgian Authorities Responsible for Crackdown on Activists, Opposition
- 16/09/2024 – BREAKING: U.S. Imposes New Sanctions for Undermining Democracy
- 06/06/2024 – BREAKING: US State Department Implements First Tranche of Sanctions against Georgian Individuals
- 14/09/2023- US Sanctions Ivanishvili Crony for Channeling Russia’s Influence
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