The UK summons Georgian Chargé d’Affaires over accusations of crackdown and democratic backsliding
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) has summoned the Georgian Chargé d’Affaires in order to signal its condemnation of the country’s ‘increasingly harmful trajectory’.
In addition, a senior UK official denounced ‘false claims and public attacks launched by Georgian Dream against the UK and international partners’.
According to an official statement, an FCDO spokesperson criticised the recent actions of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
‘The imprisonment of prominent opposition leaders is the latest attempt by the Georgian government to crack down on freedoms and stifle dissent. The detention of election rivals is incompatible with any remaining Euro-Atlantic aspirations held by Georgian Dream as well as their own constitutional commitments’.
The UK previously imposed several rounds of sanctions against Georgia against the backdrop of the government crackdown against civil society.
In December 2024, amid police violence during protest rallies, London also announced it was halting aid and cooperation with the Georgian government.
The latest statement cautioned that more punitive measures could be coming, but did not offer specifics.
‘The UK government will not hesitate to consider further action should Georgia not return to respecting and upholding democracy, freedoms, and human rights’, the FCDO spokesperson said.
Mikheil Gvadzabia
