Protests Intensify Over Suspension of EU Accession Talks
Protests in Georgia have entered their second week after the Georgian Dream government’s decision to suspend negotiations for European Union membership, sparking fierce opposition from pro-Western factions. Police have increasingly used force to suppress demonstrations, which have been escalating in size and intensity.
Violence Against Protesters and Journalists
Tensions reached new heights as police resorted to brutal tactics, including tear gas and water cannons, to disperse crowds in Tbilisi. Several opposition leaders and activists have been arrested, and many demonstrators and journalists have suffered violent treatment. Notably, Georgian journalist Guram Rogava was assaulted by riot police during a live broadcast, resulting in serious facial injuries.
Rogava, who was hospitalized for fractured facial bones, expressed concerns over the targeted attacks on media members, adding that the government’s survival instinct appeared to drive the crackdown. “It was clear they were deliberately attacking media representatives,” Rogava told the Associated Press.
Protests Sparked by Suspension of EU Talks
The protests began following the Georgian Dream’s suspension of EU accession talks last week. The opposition, alongside the pro-European president, Salome Zourabichvili, has accused the ruling party of undermining Georgia’s future by distancing the nation from Europe. Georgia’s pro-Western stance had been a central element of its political identity.
The government, however, dismissed the protests as an attempt to destabilize the country. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze defended the actions of the police, stating that the raids on opposition groups’ offices were not repression but “preventive measures” to curb violence.
Global Condemnation and Growing Unrest
International bodies have condemned the violence against protesters, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling it “brutal repression.” The European Union has also voiced concerns over the situation. Despite the crackdown, protests have only gained momentum, with demonstrators demanding the country’s continued path toward EU integration.
Human Rights Violations Under Scrutiny
Human rights advocates have raised alarms over the systemic nature of police violence, with reports of threats, beatings, and other abuses targeting demonstrators. The Georgian Special Investigation Service has launched an inquiry into the incidents, but critics, including human rights lawyer Tamar Oniani, argue that previous investigations have failed to produce meaningful results. “It was systemic, widespread violence,” Oniani said, accusing the government of tacit approval of the brutality.
Uncertain Future for Georgia’s EU Aspirations
Georgia’s EU candidate status, granted in December 2023, remains uncertain following the suspension of negotiations and the passage of a controversial “foreign influence” law. The law, which mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as pursuing the interests of foreign powers, has been widely criticized for stifling democratic freedoms.
As the crisis deepens, President Zourabichvili has called on Western nations to apply pressure on the ruling party, urging them not to let Georgia’s pro-European aspirations slip further away.
