US sanctions oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia's alleged 'shadow ruler'
US sanctions Bidzina Ivanishvili
The US has imposed financial sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, with his name appearing on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list on December 27 at 8:00 PM Tbilisi time.
According to the OFAC list, the sanctions on Ivanishvili are part of a broader package targeting Russia.
“All property of the sanctioned individual, located in the US or owned or controlled by individuals in the US, will be frozen.
Under Ivanishvili’s leadership, the Georgian Dream party advanced Kremlin interests, derailing the country’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory, which directly contradicts both the Constitution of Georgia and the will of the Georgian people,” stated the US Treasury Department in its accompanying message.
Similarly, the US State Department stated on its website, that Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream “eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curbed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia.”
It also accused Ivanishvili and the ruling party of derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future, which “Georgian people overwhelmingly desire and the Georgian constitution mandates”, making the country vulnerable to Russia.
We strongly condemn Georgian Dream’s actions under Ivanishvili’s leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protestors, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures. The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those undermining democracy and human rights in Georgia.
Echoing this sentiment, the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller posted the following comment regarding the sanctions on X:
“The U.S. is sanctioning Bidzina Grigoris Dze Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of Georgian Dream. His actions have enabled human rights abuses and undermined the democratic and European future of the Georgian people for the benefit of the Russian Federation.”
The decision was made based on President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14024 from April 15, 2021, which was issued in response to the “malicious actions of the Russian Federation.”
Under this order, all individuals falling under its scope, including Bidzina Ivanishvili, are subject to comprehensive sanctions. The assets and interests of this individual within the US jurisdiction are frozen, and American companies and citizens are prohibited from engaging in financial or commercial dealings with him.
As a result, this individual is isolated not only from the US but often from the global financial system as well, as international institutions and companies prefer to comply with the requirements to avoid secondary sanctions that would impact them.
For the first time in Georgia‘s history, dozens of individuals are under sanctions from the US and EU member states. Among them are high-ranking officials, judges, private individuals, businessmen, parliament members, and other members of Georgian Dream.
Sanctions vary:
More than 110 individuals are restricted from receiving US visas. Not only those on the sanctions list, but also their family members, will be unable to travel to the United States. This means that the restrictions affect several hundred people.
Hundreds of individuals (the exact list is unavailable) with diplomatic passports will no longer be able to travel to European Union countries without a visa.
Six individuals are on the Magnitsky List, which imposes strict financial sanctions, including the “freezing” of all assets, shares, and finances of those on the list. Four individuals from the list hold high-ranking positions.
More than 40 individuals are under sanctions from the Baltic states, and over 19 are under personal sanctions from Ukraine.
Many officials are subject to multiple sanction packages simultaneously. For example, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Vice Prime Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri. He has been included in the sanction lists of several countries, as well as the Magnitsky List.
Western partners have imposed sanctions on Georgian officials for obstructing democracy, human rights violations, spreading disinformation, corruption, and violent repression against demonstrators and journalists.
