Senator Cardin Calls for U.S. Magnitsky Sanctions on GD Over Brutal Crackdown on Protesters

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee condemned Georgian Dream’s continued violence against peaceful demonstrators and urged President Biden to impose Global Magnitsky sanctions.

“President Biden should hold accountable those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts of repression, including issuing Global Magnitsky sanctions,” said the Senator. “Now is the moment for the United States and our allies to stand strong with the people of Georgia in their pursuit of democracy and freedom.”

Cardin also addressed the recent presidential election in Georgia, which saw Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former footballer and “notorious anti-American provocateur,” was elected president. Cardin said his victory revealed “the true nature” of the Georgian Dream. The US Senator highlighted that Kavelashvili’s election was widely challenged by Georgian society and international observers and emphasized Kavelashvili’s role in the country’s democratic decline, “including his role in co-authoring a Russian-style foreign agent law.”

The brutal crackdowns, which began in Tbilisi and various other regions after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a suspension of Georgia’s EU accession bid, was characterized by violent dispersals on peaceful demonstrators, including severe beatings of citizens by police and government-paid thugs, raids on opposition offices and activists’ homes, and the illegal detention of hundreds of demonstrators. The Senator called on the GD officials to “immediately end its violent assault on innocent citizens and release all detained protesters, including minors, held in prison.”

International partners have already taken action, with Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, and the U.S. imposing sanctions on Georgian officials. At a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on December 16, EU Foreign Ministers fell short of reaching the necessary unanimity to sanction Georgian Dream figures. Instead, the EU asked the European Commission to prepare a report on suspending visa liberalization for Georgians holding diplomatic passports, which only needs a qualified majority to be imposed.

Also Read:

• 16/12/2024 – HR/VP Kallas: Suspension of Visa-Free Travel for Diplomats “Symbolic” First Step
• 16/12/2024 – Amnesty International Condemns Georgian Authorities’ Violence, Urges Int’I Community to Act
• 15/12/2024 – Georgian Opposition Addresses EU, Urging Action

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