|
The State and Treasury departments said they hit Georgian Dream
party founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili with
penalties “for undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic
future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation,"
according to a statement.
The designation of Ivanishvili is the latest in a series of
sanctions the U.S. has slapped on Georgian politicians,
lawmakers and others this year. Those sanctions include freezes
on assets and properties those targeted may have in U.S.
jurisdictions or that might enter U.S. jurisdictions as well as
travel bans on the targets and members of their families.
“We strongly condemn Georgian Dream’s actions under
Ivanishvili’s leadership, including its ongoing and violent
repression of Georgian citizens, protestors, members of the
media, human rights activists, and opposition figures,” the
State Department said in a statement. “The United States is
committed to promoting accountability for those undermining
democracy and human rights in Georgia."
Ivanishvili is a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in
Russia and served briefly as Georgia’s prime minister. In 2012,
he founded Georgian Dream, Georgia’s longtime ruling party.
Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly
authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently
pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to
crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights, prompting the
European Union to suspend Georgia’s membership application
process indefinitely.
In October, Georgian Dream won another term in a divisive
parliamentary election that has led to more mass protests. Last
month, the country’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze,
announced a four-year suspension of talks on Georgia's bid to
join the European Union, fueling further public outrage.
All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
