In the continuing wave of new sanctions announcements this month against actors who are seen as undermining democracy and abusing human rights, the Biden administration announced on September 16 new asset freezes and visa bans against two senior Georgian Interior Ministry officials and two media figures, along with new U.S. visa bans on another group of 60 undisclosed individuals who have worked to undermine democracy in the country.
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.
U.S. assistance programs to Georgia were mostly suspended earlier this year after the country’s controversial “Foreign Agent Law” came into effect, despite a presidential veto. The Russia-inspired law introduces strict controls over non-governmental organizations that receive significant foreign funding. New U.S. sanctions seek to hold accountable those responsible for the violent response to the wide-ranging protests over the “Foreign Agent Law” earlier this year.
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against individuals who it believes have undermined fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, in Georgia.
Specifically, OFAC 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.
The private citizens sanctioned were identified as being from the media sector. Media company Alt-Info founder Konstantine Morgoshia was targeted, along with Zurab Makharadze, an Alt-Info personality.
“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 on September 16. “The United States remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to undermine the rights of the Georgian people.”
Reacting to the new U.S. sanctions, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze warned, “If one more such step is taken, this might lead to a revision of Georgia’s stance on U.S.-Georgian relations.”
For its part, the U.S. Department of State issued the following media note explaining U.S. policy and the new sanctions:
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Promoting Accountability for Serious Human Rights Abuse and Anti-Democratic Actions in Georgia
“The United States is today (September 16) imposing a broad array of accountability measures on a number of Georgian government officials and others who have undermined Georgia’s democracy and the human rights of the Georgian people.
The United States has 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 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.
We remain concerned about human rights abuses and anti-democratic actions in Georgia, and 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.”
