US never sanctioned anyone from previous gov’t – Georgia’s ruling party MP

Levan Karumidze, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, reacted on Friday to the recent sanctions imposed by the United States on members of the party, officials, and unspecified individuals. He noted that Washington had never imposed sanctions on representatives of the previous United National Movement (UNM) Government, despite what he described as “heavy” violations.

“For years, before 2012, the Saakashvili and UNM regime perpetrated severe human rights violations, including mass beatings, torture, and even murder. For instance, in 2011, the regime killed protesters in the streets and placed their bodies on shop rooftops. The US never sanctioned anyone from UNM,” Karumidze tweeted.

On Thursday, the United States announced the first tranche of visa restrictions targeting members of the Georgian Dream party, parliamentarians, law enforcement officers, and private individuals. 

This action reflects ongoing international scrutiny and concern regarding the adoption of the foreign influence transparency bill by the Georgian ruling power, which opponents have branded as a “Russian law” and claim targets critical voices in the country.

The Georgian Dream authorities argue that the foreign funding of domestic NGOs was “non-transparent” and that these funds were allegedly used to “stir unrest in the country and stage revolutions.”