Also facing sanctions are two high-profile figures linked to far-right Georgian media Alt-Info, which has called for attacks on pro-democracy crowds, journalists and the LGBTQ+ community.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department confirmed that it would impose visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgians and their families for conspiring to “undermine Georgian democracy.” The as-yet-unpublished list is said to include government officials who “abused their power to restrict the fundamental freedoms of the Georgian people.”
“Today’s actions underscore our concerns about the consequences of anti-democratic actions in Georgia and the use of violence and intimidation by key actors to achieve their goals,” said Bradley Smith, acting Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The EU has frozen Georgia’s bid to join the bloc over a package of legislation that labels Western-backed NGOs and media outlets “foreign agents” and effectively bans public reporting on same-sex relationships. However, Brussels stopped short of imposing its own sanctions.
Georgia’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
