The United States and Britain on Thursday slapped sanctions on Georgia鈥檚 interior minister and other senior officials over a clampdown on pro-Western demonstrators.
Protesters have taken to the streets of Georgia against the government鈥檚 decision to shelve a push to join the European Union, the latest step seen as a move by the former Soviet republic towards Russia.
鈥楾he shocking violence inflicted upon protestors, opposition leaders and journalists is an egregious attack on democracy, and the Georgian people鈥檚 right to exercise their fundamental freedoms,鈥� British foreign secretary David Lammy said.
鈥極ur action today shows that the UK stands with the people of Georgia and will consider all options to ensure those responsible are held to account.鈥�
Those targeted with UK assets freezes and travel bans include Georgia鈥檚 interior minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, his deputy Aleksandre Darakhvelidze and Tbilisi Police Department Director Zviad Kharazishvili.
Two other high-ranking police chiefs were also hit with the curbs.
The United States announced similar action towards Gomelauri and a senior member of a task force involved in the clampdown, Mirza Kezevadze.
鈥楾he United States strongly condemns the Georgian authorities鈥� ongoing, brutal and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, including peaceful protesters, media members, human rights activists and opposition figures,鈥� State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
鈥榃e stand with the people of Georgia and remain committed to promoting accountability for those complicit in human rights abuses and undermining their democratic future,鈥� he said.
The US sanctions block any interests and property the pair have in the United States and bar most financial transactions with them.
The United States last week separately announced it was barring visas for around 20 people accused of undermining democracy in Georgia.
The crackdown followed an unprecedented constitutional crisis that saw Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili declare the newly elected parliament and government 鈥榠llegitimate鈥� after the opposition accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of rigging October parliamentary polls.
Zurabishvili鈥檚 mandate is meant to end later this month after the ruling party picked an ex-footballer to replace her 鈥� but she has vowed to stay in the post unless the general elections are re-run.
The opposition accuses Georgian Dream of election fraud and of turning Georgia towards Russia and away from its long-standing bid to join the European Union.
