McCain Institute alarmed by severity of official violence against peaceful protesters in Georgia

A recent mission led by the McCain Institute to Georgia has raised serious concerns regarding the violent repression of peaceful protests and the broader political situation in the country. The delegation, which included former diplomats, journalists, and civil society representatives from Europe and the United States, visited Tbilisi from December 9-13 to assess the aftermath of Georgia’s controversial October parliamentary elections.

The mission’s findings were alarming. Members of the delegation met with protestors, October 26 parliamentary election observers, and Georgian citizens who described widespread intimidation tactics used by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party before and during the elections. These included vote buying, threats, and disinformation campaigns aimed at scaring voters into supporting the government’s agenda. The delegation also found evidence of serious electoral irregularities, including ballot stuffing and multiple voting, which undermined the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The statement reads that despite overwhelming public support for closer ties with the European Union, the GD government announced it would suspend plans for EU accession for four years, prompting mass protests across the country. However, the mission reported that the peaceful demonstrations had been met with brutal force. Protesters, particularly young men, described being captured and beaten by security forces, with several suffering broken bones and facial injuries. The delegation also heard reports of journalists and civil society activists being abducted, beaten, and charged with false crimes.

The McCain Institute mission expressed alarm at the scale of state-sponsored violence against peaceful citizens, warning that the risk of fatalities could increase if the government’s repressive actions continue. The delegation also highlighted the growing authoritarianism in Georgia, which has worsened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the GD government increasingly aligning with Moscow and taking steps to suppress dissent.

”The delegation believes that it is urgent that the international community stand behind the Georgian people with concrete measures. The Department of State has announced new travel restrictions. Financial sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili and GD leaders and their families, and security force officials responsible for authoritarian measures and torture, are appropriate. The U.S. and EU should work in tandem, and several European countries have put in place travel bans of their own. Such actions will demonstrate that no one is untouchable, and they could create divisions within GD ranks. They will also be a shot in the arm for the protestors who are taking personal risks and feel alone,” the statement reads.

As tensions rise in Georgia, the mission emphasized that it is important for the international community not to recognize the government as legitimate.

”In our view, the elections themselves were sufficiently flawed as to cast doubt on the validity of the result. However, the government’s repressive actions since then also call into question its moral legitimacy,” McCain Institute stated.