UK Embassy urges Georgian Gov’t to halt intimidation of protestors

The British Embassy to Georgia on Friday condemned the alleged unlawful intimidation tactics deployed against protestors in Georgia rallying against the controversial foreign transparency bill. It has called upon the authorities in Georgia to swiftly intervene and put an end to these acts, which it described as a violation of democratic principles.

The UK’s plea comes amidst reports of various rights abuses, including intimidating phone calls, arbitrary detentions, physical assaults, and the circulation of defamatory posters targeting members of civil society and demonstrators in Tbilisi. Such practices, the UK asserted, had no place in a democratic society and were in direct contradiction to the values it upholds.

Expressing solidarity with Georgia’s democratic aspirations, the UK has pledged unwavering support to assist the country in safeguarding its democracy.

Mass protests erupted in Tbilisi after the ruling Georgian Dream party submitted the bill after its initial rejection last year due to large-scale protests and a pledge not to initiate it.