HRW Calls on EU to Investigate Georgia's Protest Crackdown and Impose Sanctions
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the European Union to take decisive action against the Georgian government over its handling of ongoing anti-government protests. In a statement, HRW urged EU foreign affairs ministers, who will meet on December 16 to discuss Georgia, to demand an independent investigation into the government's response and to impose sanctions on officials responsible for violence against protesters.
The protests erupted nationwide after the government abandoned its pursuit of EU accession, a move HRW says violates Georgia's constitution and disregards the will of approximately 80% of the population. The unrest also follows the disputed October 26 parliamentary elections, criticized for alleged vote-rigging and a series of repressive measures targeting civil society and media.
According to HRW, security forces have responded to the largely peaceful demonstrations with excessive force, deploying teargas, water cannons, and rubber bullets. Protesters have reportedly faced beatings, mass detentions, and ill-treatment in custody, with dozens hospitalized. Independent journalists have also been targeted by riot police and alleged pro-government mobs, further stifling media coverage.
HRW representatives warned that the Georgian government's actions risk plunging the country deeper into a human rights crisis. They called on EU ministers to advocate for investigations led by international bodies, including the Council of Europe and the United Nations, into allegations of unlawful force, arbitrary detentions, and torture.
The organization also urged the EU to activate its Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, targeting Georgian officials responsible for the violence. Proposed measures include travel bans, asset freezes, and imposing Schengen visa requirements on government officials and diplomats. Simultaneously, HRW recommended increased EU support for Georgian civil society and independent media.
"As the Georgian people look to the EU in their aspirations, EU leaders should show them more than moral support," the HRW statement concluded. "Concrete and decisive steps are needed to prevent Georgia's human rights crisis from further escalating."
