Lithuania imposes sanctions on Georgian officials over human rights violations

Lithuania has announced the imposition of targeted sanctions on several Georgian officials.

The list of individuals affected by the sanctions was published on X by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Caliber.Az reports. 

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry accused those on the list of human rights abuses. Among those sanctioned are Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party, Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, and other officials from security agencies. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was not included in the list. 

The Georgian prime minister expressed willingness to engage in discussions with sincere opposition figures. Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has written that Estonia imposed a travel ban on Ivanishvili and Gomelauri. 

Besides Ivanishvili and Gomelauri, the ban also extends to nine senior officials from Georgia's Interior Ministry, namely, Shalva Bedoidze, Ioseb Chelidze, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Giorgi Butkhuzi, Zviad Kharazishvili, Mileri Lagazauri, Mirza Kezevadze, Vaja Siradze, and Teimuraz Kupatadze.

Earlier, Landsbergis announced that Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia agreed to impose personal sanctions on those responsible for suppressing the fair protests in Georgia. He noted that the Baltic states do not welcome opponents of democracy and human rights violators.

Since November 28, protests have been taking place in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities following the government’s announcement of suspending negotiations for the country’s EU membership until 2028. Kobakhidze said that this decision was driven by unacceptable actions of European politicians who, as he put it, use grants and loans as tools for blackmail. 

By Naila Huseynova