Opinion: 'UK sanctions against Georgian judges confirm there is no independent judiciary in Georgia'
Expert on UK sanctions against Georgian judges
The imposition of UK sanctions on Georgian judges is evidence that there is no independent judiciary in Georgia, and the US is likely to demand the release of political prisoners and the holding of new parliamentary elections — so said Giorgi Rukhadze, founder of the Centre for Strategic Analysis, during a broadcast of Dghis Newsroom, commenting on the UK’s sanctions against judges Mikheil Chinchaladze and Levan Murusidze.
Rukhadze also responded to the US State Department’s statement describing the Georgian Dream government’s recent actions as anti-democratic. According to the expert, the new US administration will demand respect for democratic principles and an end to arbitrary arrests of citizens.
The UK has sanctioned Georgian judges Mikheil Chinchaladze and Levan Murusidze over their suspected involvement in corruption. As a result, all their UK-based assets, including bank accounts, will be frozen.
Giorgi Rukhadze’s comment
“Why Murusidze and Chinchaladze? Because the Georgian judicial clan is built around them. The sanctions are a direct indication that Georgia’s judiciary is neither free nor uncorrupt. And I don’t just mean bribery — in this case, corruption has a broader meaning than simply financial gain.
When the government tells you to appoint someone to a certain position and you do it — that’s corruption, whether or not you’re paid for it. So the sanctions were a timely move. It’s a good thing Murusidze and Chinchaladze are now personally feeling the consequences, with their bank accounts frozen.
Of course, those under sanctions will find ways around it. Sanctions don’t mean a person stops functioning. Human nature is such that when one door closes, they look for another to open. Whether someone brings Murusidze cash or deposits it at a currency exchange so he can withdraw it — in the end, he’ll still get his salary.
Naturally, his salary won’t be under threat. But he’ll need to transfer money, won’t he? And he’ll no longer be able to use the banking system — let’s not forget that 80% of transactions in Georgia’s banking sector pass through two British banks. Sure, anyone sanctioned can find some workaround. But Murusidze won’t be able to travel to Europe, the UK, or the US — he’ll be stuck in his village, and that’s what his life will look like.”
The Ivanishvili regime is undemocratic. The US State Department has stated that a democratic mandate cannot be obtained through dishonest elections — which means the Ivanishvili regime does not have one. So how is such a mandate earned? Not by suppressing political opponents and freedom of speech, but by respecting the will of the majority.
The statement also mentions that there has been communication between the US and Georgia, during which the American side presented its demands to the Ivanishvili regime — conditions necessary for rebooting US–Georgia relations. It may not be a harsh statement, but the message is clear.
The new US administration is demanding respect for democracy in Georgia and an end to the arbitrary arrests of people — whether they are political opponents of Georgian Dream or protesters on Rustaveli Avenue. This may not be said outright, but it strongly implies that the US will call for the release of political prisoners and new parliamentary elections in order to ensure a truly democratic mandate.
Given the current situation, the government is not planning to do that. Instead, we are seeing a new wave of repression and an ever-growing list of draconian laws. The so-called president has already signed the new “foreign agents” law, which will affect all of us — including individuals and private businesses.
This talk of “defeating the deep state” is nothing more than rhetoric aimed at brainwashing Georgian Dream voters. If the new US administration does something the Ivanishvili regime finds favourable, they will claim it’s fighting the “deep state” and the “party of war.” If the opposite happens, Ivanishvili’s allies will immediately accuse the Trump administration of collaborating with the deep state. It’s pure propaganda.
