● The State Department announced the first set of sanctions against officials involved in the adoption of Georgia's “foreign agents” law. The sanctions include bans on entry into the United States and the cancellation of existing visas. The list includes up to 30 lawmakers, law enforcement officials, members of the ruling party, and their families, although specific names have not been made public. Read more here
● The US Helsinki Committee reported that an increasing number of lawmakers are backing the MEGOBARI bill (meaning “friends” in Georgian), proposed by Republican Congressman Joe Wilson to help the Georgian people. The bill calls for increased scrutiny of the Georgian government's actions and its ties to Russia and authoritarian regimes. It also proposes providing Georgia with a large military and trade aid package and liberalizing the visa regime with the US if Georgian authorities reject its anti-democratic policies.
● Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen welcomed the “imposition of visa restrictions on those responsible for undermining democracy and attacking peaceful protesters in Georgia.” “The adoption of the bipartisan MEGOBARI Act will make these restrictions permanent and make it clear that this decision is not a short-term measure.”
● Levan Khaveishvili, Chairman of the United National Movement: “Ruling party lawmakers, parliament members who voted for the 'Russia Law', and police who dispersed peaceful protesters are all subject to US sanctions, and they say this is just the beginning. Will investors come to a country like this? Sanctions against Ivanishvili's camp will affect the living standards of the Georgian people.”
● The Prime Minister called the “foreign agents” law “the constitution of Georgia's sovereignty.” Nothing and no one can force the ruling party to repeal the law, he said. Irakli Kobakhidze reiterated that he is ready for a public discussion, but no one seems to agree. He called the US sanctions “blackmail.” Read more here
● Irma Zavradashvili, Georgian Dream MP: “These sanctions reaffirm that we have done the right thing. Sanctions cannot stop the right actions we are taking.”
● Minister of Culture Thea Tsulakiani: “Our government is acting as a shield. US sanctions are wrong. Their purpose is to create and deepen a rift between the government and the people. Of course, the minority that takes to the streets does not represent the opinion of the whole of society. But if the sanctions encourage more people to join the protests, the government could easily be toppled. And what will happen then? The people will lose the shield that protects us all and will be exposed to danger. I say it loud and clear: we are operating under the leadership of Bidzina Ivanishvili (oligarch and honorary chairman of the ruling party) and we have been successful so far as the threats have not materialized.”
● EU Ambassador Paweł Herczynski invites all those who discuss financial transparency of NGOs to visit the embassy's website and read detailed information about EU-funded projects available there. “In Brussels and other European capitals, it is not understood why Georgian officials make absurd and harmful statements about the EU funding terrorism in Georgia and oppressing the country. Meanwhile, fighting anti-Western propaganda is one of the EU's nine recommendations for starting accession negotiations,” Herczynski said.
● Paweł Herczynski also told Georgian students that “Georgian citizens should not pay the price for the authorities' enactment of the 'foreign agents' law, and it is unlikely that the visa-free regime for all people between Georgia and the EU will be abolished.”
● Activist and Black Stars bar owner Ioseb Babayev, who was arrested the previous day in Gori, is expected to be released today. The judge ruled his detention and searches illegal as they were not supported by independent evidence (video recordings or witnesses). The judge also acknowledged the inhuman treatment of the defendant. Babayev was arrested on suspicion of illegal possession of weapons. His lawyer claims that a handgun and an automatic rifle were pointed at him during his arrest and that police beat Babayev during his detention.
● Georgia not only has the highest number of prisoners per 100,000 people in the region, but also the second highest among the 46 Council of Europe member states. This is according to a new Council of Europe report. Turkey comes in first with 408 prisoners per 100,000 people, while Georgia has 256. The lowest in the region is Armenia with 79 prisoners. Azerbaijan has 244 prisoners per 100,000 people.
Photo by JAMnews: Graffiti by famous artist Giorgi Gagoshidze (aka Gagosh) in Deda Ena Park in Tbilisi. Check out JAMnews' video article about him. [2020] here