The United States said it could prosecute people who suppress the protests. The EU also criticized the “law on foreign agents” adopted in the Georgian parliament.
The United States may impose sanctions on those responsible for the suppression of protests in Tbilisi. This was stated by the representative of the State Department of the States Ned Price during the briefing.
According to him, Washington is closely following what is happening in Georgia.
“We are seeing reports from Tbilisi that tear gas and other means were used against the demonstrators to quell the protests,” Price said.
He also noted that the States have a number of tools that allow you to hold “anyone in any country” accountable for interfering with the implementation of what is a universal human right.
There was also a reaction from Europe. Thus, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said that Georgia’s adoption of the law on “foreign agents” is contrary to the values and standards of the European Union.
In his opinion, the adoption of the law in the first reading is a very bad development for Georgia. Thus, the law may have a negative impact on civil society and the media.
“This is contrary to Georgia’s stated goals of joining the European Union, which is supported by the vast majority of Georgian citizens. Its final acceptance could have serious consequences for our relations,” Borrell said.
It should be reminded that on Tuesday, March 7, the Parliament of Georgia approved the law on “foreign agents” in an accelerated mode, obliging organizations and media that receive more than 20% of their profits from abroad to be registered in the register of “agents of foreign influence”. It was because of this law that the protest began.
Then it became known that the protesters began to throw Molotov cocktails at the special forces. Thrown incendiaries set fire to several law enforcement shields. The protesters were able to make their way to the parliament building, but then they were pushed back.
Also, reports of brutal detentions began to appear on the network. Some protesters even tried to escape to the Kashveti Orthodox Church, but the security forces carried out arrests even there.
