Ruling party head accuses US of “punishing” Georgian judges like UNM

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday accused the United States of imposing sanctions on four Georgian judges in April “without evidence”, which he claimed was an “interference” in the country’s judiciary and the violation of its constitution, adding the previous United National Movement government was using the “same methods” to “punish judges”. 

 

He claimed the three acting and one former judges had allegedly been sanctioned based on the information “read out” from newspapers, adding “we do not allow ourselves to act in this manner and will not tolerate such an attitude [from a foreign state]”. 

 

The comment came following the remarks by Kelly Degnan, the US ambassador to Georgia, who on Thursday claimed her country used sanctions when it received “reliable information” on corruption or other violations. 

 

She claimed the judges were hindering judicial independence, which she said would create obstacles for creating a “healthy and vibrant” democracy in Georgia.