The Daily Beat: 2 April
On April 2, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a government reshuffle, saying that Grigol Liluashvili, head of the State Security Service since 2019, will head the Ministry of Regional Development, which will be separated from the current Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. Liluashvili will be replaced by current Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili, while Paata Salia will be appointed Justice Minister.
Speaking to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British parliament via video link, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili warned the MPs that Georgia is facing a growing internal crisis driven by pro-Russian authoritarianism, widespread repression, and systematic electoral manipulation allegedly orchestrated by Moscow. She also told British MPs that Georgia could become a “grey zone” used for sanctions circumvention.
Tbilisi City Court judge Arsen Kalatozishvili today, April 2, granted the prosecutor’s request and ordered the leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, to pay GEL 50,000 (about USD 18,200) bail for refusing to appear before the Georgian Dream parliament’s temporary investigative commission probing alleged UNM-era crimes. Another Lelo leader, Badri Japaridze, also refused to appear before the commission, and he could face the same legal sanctions.
The Public Defender of Georgia released the 2024 Report on the State of Human Rights and Freedoms in the country, outlining a wide range of systemic violations, particularly during the May and November- December 2024 protests. The report also highlights major shortcomings and challenges, including institutional ones, and stresses that the spring and winter of 2024 were particularly grave in terms of human rights protection.
The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office of the United Kingdom sanctioned two senior Georgian judges — Mikheil Chinchaladze, chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals and a former member of the High Council of Justice of Georgia, and Levan Murusidze, a judge of the same court and a current member of the High Council of Justice. Both individuals are now subject to asset freezes under the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021, meaning any assets or financial accounts held within British jurisdiction will be frozen.
In a written response sent to the Georgian outlet GlobalNews.ge following a question posed by its correspondent during the press briefing of the Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Tammy Bruce, the U.S. State Department said it continues to evaluate its approach to Georgia to advance American interests.The response from the U.S. State Department also calls the GD government’s actions “anti-democratic” and criticizes the GD authorities for censoring and imprisoning its opponents.
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on the Helsinki Commission expressed strong concern over the Georgian government’s decision to award development rights for the strategic Anaklia water port to a Chinese conglomerate that includes U.S.-sanctioned companies. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the commission, joined by co-chairman Rep. Joe Wilson and other members, said that the move could jeopardize Georgia’s democratic future and increase Chinese influence in the Black Sea region.
In a joint statement, European Commission Vice President/High Representative Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos criticized the recent adoption by the Georgian Dream parliament of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and amendments to the Law on Broadcasting. “These laws risk stigmatizing the work of civic activists, threatening the survival of civil society and independent media, rolling back human rights protections, unduly restricting fundamental freedoms, and eroding democratic decision-making,” the statement reads.
In its statement, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has voiced concern over the GD parliament’s newly adopted controversial Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), warning that it could severely restrict civil society activities in the country. “This law profoundly impacts the work of civil society and all those working to defend human rights,” said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian.