The EU is preparing to impose sanctions on the Georgian government.

The European Union demands an end to the intimidation and political persecution of anti-government activists in Georgia, as well as an investigation into all allegations of torture and cruel treatment against them.

This was stated in a release published by the EU's diplomatic service.

“For nearly two weeks, the Georgian people have been defending their democratic and European aspirations, confronting brutal and unlawful force from the police while exercising their right to freedom of expression. Arbitrary detentions of protesters and opposition leaders continue, and media representatives are particularly targeted by law enforcement and informal violent groups,” emphasized the spokesperson for the European External Action Service.

According to reports, as a result of the protests, over 400 individuals have been detained, with 300 experiencing violence. Despite this, no police officers or members of informal violent groups have yet been held accountable.

“The EU condemns these repressive actions against protesters, media representatives, and opposition leaders and calls for the immediate release of all detained individuals. The EU demands an end to widespread intimidation, political persecution, and reports of torture and cruel treatment of citizens. Fundamental rights, such as the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, must be respected and guaranteed in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia and its international obligations,” reads the statement.

The European Union urged local and international organizations, as well as the Public Defender, to continue documenting instances of human rights violations in Georgia.

Moreover, the statement emphasized that the actions of the ruling party "Georgian Dream" have led to a de facto halt in the accession process to the bloc. The EU called on "Georgian Dream" to de-escalate in order to “put an end to this situation, which has serious consequences for the Georgian people.”

Background. Earlier, Mind reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine responded to the statements made by the Georgian authorities regarding a “Maidan scenario.” Ukrainian diplomats believe that the Georgian authorities must respect the fundamental right of citizens to peaceful protest.