On September 16 U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned two Georgian officials- Head of MIA’s Special Task Department Zviad Kharazishvili (Khareba) and his deputy Mileri Lagazauri as well as two others- Konstantine Morgoshia and Zurab Makharadze, both radical right-wing figures associated with the violent Alt-info movement, for “serious human rights abuses” for their role in brutal crackdowns on anti-foreign agent protesters” and for “violent attacks on Georgians exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly.” The U.S. State Department also imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgian individuals and their family members “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia.”
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s press release states: “The United States is today imposing a broad array of accountability measures on a number of Georgian government officials and others who have undermined Georgia’s democracy and the human rights of the Georgian people.”
It further reads: “The United States has imposed sanctions on two Georgian government officials—Ministry of Internal Affairs Special Task Department Chief Zviad “Khareba” Kharazishvili and one of his Deputies, Mileri Lagazauri—for their involvement in serious human rights abuse during the violent response to peaceful protests against the foreign influence law. We are also sanctioning two Georgian leaders of a violent extremist group, Konstantine Morgoshia and Zurab Makharadze, for serious human rights abuse, including violent attacks on Georgians exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly.” The four individuals are designated under the Cyber-Related and Global Magnitsky Designations.
The State Department said it is also taking additional steps to impose visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgian individuals and their family members responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia. The press release says that these individuals include “senior government and municipal figures who abused their power to restrict the fundamental freedoms of the Georgian people, business leaders involved in corrupt practices, persons who have spread disinformation and promoted violent extremism, members of law enforcement who were involved in the beating of protesters, and members of parliament who played a critical role in advancing undemocratic legislation and restricting civil society.”
State Secretary Blinken notes that the U.S. remains concerned about human rights abuses and anti-democratic actions in Georgia, and will continue to consider additional actions in response. “The United States unequivocally supports the rights of Georgians to assemble, speak, and peacefully protest without fear of violence, intimidation, or suppression,” states the statement of the State Secretary Blinken.
