Estonia issues travel bans to 11 Georgian officials for human rights violations
Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) on Monday slapped travel bans on 11 Georgian officials, including the honorary chairman of the Georgian ruling party and interior minister, over "serious human rights violations."
The entry bans were imposed on these individuals due to their participation in serious human rights violations by aggressively suppressing legitimate protests, he said.
On Sunday, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said they would sanction officials over their treatment of protesters rallying against the government's decision to postpone the EU accession process. The Baltics are the first countries to do so.
Among the 11 people are Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The rest are connected to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
"The Georgian people should be able to stand up for their rights because their ruling party has been systematically lying to Georgians for a long time, and people have the right to express their feelings through protests. Violence against protesters is disproportionate and against human rights," Tsahkna said.
Estonia denies entry to Georgians who violate #humanrights
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) December 2, 2024
Bidzina Ivanishvili
Vakhtang Gomelauri
Shalva Bedoidze
Ioseb Chelidze
Aleksandre Darakhvelidze
Giorgi Butkhuzi
Zviad Kharazishvili
Mileri Lagazauri
Mirza Kezevadze
Vaja Siradze
Teimuraz Kupatadze
Speaking at a press conference in Riga on Monday afternoon, Tsahkna said the three countries had jointly discussed who would be on their lists but it was a "totally independent" process and each country made the final decision for itself.
However, Lithuania and Estonia's lists featured the same 11 people.
The Estonian list is published below:
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published the following list of those denied entry:
Shalva Bedoidze (deputy minister of internal affairs),
Giorgi Butkhuzi (deputy minister of internal affairs),
Ioseb Chelidze (deputy minister of internal affairs),
Aleksandre Darakhvelidze (deputy minister of internal affairs),
Vakhtang Gomelauri (minister of internal affairs),
Bidzina Ivanishvili, (honorary chairman of Georgian Dream),
Mirza Kezevadze (deputy director of the special tasks department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs),
Zviad Kharazishvili (director of the special tasks department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs),
Teimuraz Kupatadze (director of the central criminal police department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs),
Mileri Lagazauri (deputy director of the special tasks department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs),
Vaja Siradze (director of the patrol police department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).
President: Estonia supports the Georgian people
Protesters in the Georgian capital Tbilisi have rallied since Thursday against the government's decision to postpone EU accession. The authorities have used tear gas, water cannons, and violence against protesters and journalists.
Several ambassadors have resigned over the policy change, and hundreds of civil servants and 2,800 teachers have signed letters condemning the decision.
On Saturday, President Alar Karis said Estonia supports the Georgian people.
Last week, the foreign minister said democracy in Georgia has been "backsliding" and laid the blame on Georgian Dream accusing the party of "destroying democracy."
In May, the Financial Times reported the Baltics were among EU countries pushing for sanctions on Georgian leaders after they passed a Russian-inspired "foreign agents" law.
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Editor: Helen Wright
