Georgia summons British ambassador over sanctions on senior officials

On December 20, Georgia's Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador Gareth Ward after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on several senior Georgian officials, including Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, over alleged human rights violations.

Ambassador Ward arrived at the ministry but declined to comment to reporters, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

Talks are underway between Georgian officials and the British envoy, according to local media.

To recap, the UK government has imposed sanctions on five Georgian officials, citing their involvement in suppressing protests and targeting journalists.

Among those sanctioned are Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and four senior officials. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated the measures were a response to the Georgian authorities' actions against civil society, the media, and opposition groups.

The press release highlighted an increasingly hardline approach by Tbilisi’s government following public backlash against the ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to halt progress towards EU membership.

In addition to Gomelauri, the sanctions target his deputy, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze; Tbilisi Police Chief Sulkhan Tamazashvili; Zviad Kharazishvili, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Special Tasks Department; and his deputy, Mileri Lagazauri. The sanctions include travel bans to the UK and asset freezes for all five officials.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy remarked, “These sanctions reaffirm the UK’s commitment to standing with the Georgian people and ensuring accountability for those responsible for suppressing civil liberties.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev