US imposes visa restrictions on 60 Georgians, including MPs and businessmen

The US imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 individuals and their family members in Georgia, including senior government and municipal officials, business leaders engaged in corruption, and members of parliament responsible for promoting undemocratic legislation.

The information was released by the US State Department on Monday.

“The Department of State is also taking additional steps to impose visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgian individuals and their family members responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia. These individuals include senior government and municipal figures who abused their power to restrict the fundamental freedoms of the Georgian people, business leaders involved in corrupt practices, persons who have spread disinformation and promoted violent extremism, members of law enforcement who were involved in the beating of protesters, and members of parliament who played a critical role in advancing undemocratic legislation and restricting civil society,” the statement reads.

The statement underlines that the US remains concerned about human rights abuses and anti-democratic actions in Georgia.

“We will continue to consider additional actions in response. The United States unequivocally supports the rights of Georgians to assemble, speak, and peacefully protest without fear of violence, intimidation, or suppression,” the US State Department said.

The statement also added that the US had imposed sanctions on two Georgian government officials—Ministry of Internal Affairs Special Task Department Chief Zviad “Khareba” Kharazishvili and one of his Deputies, Mileri Lagazauri—for their „involvement in serious human rights abuse during the violent response to peaceful protests” against the foreign influence law.

“We are also sanctioning two Georgian leaders of a violent extremist group, Konstantine Morgoshia and Zurab Makharadze, for serious human rights abuse, including violent attacks on Georgians exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly,” the US State Department stated.