Tuesday, September 17 2024 14:39

ArmInfo.oday, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)  sanctioned individuals who have undermined fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, in Georgia. 

Specifically, the Department of the Treasury sanctioned two Georgian  government officials associated with brutal crackdowns on peaceful  protestors and political opponents, and two private Georgian citizens  that are responsible for or complicit in, or have directly or  indirectly engaged in violently suppressing the exercise of the  freedom of peaceful assembly of Georgians engaged in the democratic  process and peaceful expression. All four individuals are being  designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds  upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability  Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse around the  world. 

"Today's action underscores our concern about the consequences of  anti-democratic actions in Georgia and efforts by key individuals to  use violence and intimidation to achieve their aims," said Acting  Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial  Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. "The United States remains committed  to holding accountable those who seek to undermine the rights of the  Georgian people."

On May 28, 2024, despite weeks of mass protests against the proposed  legislation, the ruling Georgia Dream party passed a law titled "On  Transparency of Foreign Influence," known colloquially as the  "foreign influence law," that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has  stated would stifle fundamental freedoms, including media freedom. It  also runs counter to values which bind Georgia to Europe and the  European Union. This law requires non-governmental organizations and  outlets, including media organizations, that receive more than 20  percent of their funding from foreign sources to register as  organizations "pursuing the interest of a foreign power." 

During the protests that occurred prior to passage of the law,  security forces from the Ministry of Internal Affairs Special Task  Department (Special Task Department) violently targeted Georgian  citizens, political opposition leaders, journalists, and youth  activists who were peacefully expressing their views. This violence  was overseen by the Chief of the Special Task Department, Zviad  Kharazishvili (Kharazishvili), and his Deputy, Mileri Lagazauri  (Lagazauri).

The violence perpetuated by the Special Task Department included the  brutal beatings of many attendees of the non-violent protests against  the new foreign influence law, including Georgian citizens and  opposition politicians. Kharazishvili is well known for his punitive  actions against political opponents and has been personally involved  in the physical and verbal abuse of protestors. 

Kharazishvili and Lagazauri are being designated pursuant to E.O.  13818 for being foreign persons who are, or have been, leaders or  officials of an entity, including any government entity, that has  engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights  abuse related to the leader's or official's tenure.

For more details follow link https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-  releases/jy2580?fbclid=IwY2xjawFWLCdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfNvqUZcapfwLegooxEL- 5jQFVHzpKjYBwN27biTmBNiFTy5nEhIqPS5TA_aem_EDLEe2arDktq-kAjJJaFkw