Western reaction to arrests in Georgia: "We must act to prevent second Belarus in Caucasus"
West on opposition arrests in Georgia
Representatives of the European Union and the United Kingdom have expressed deep concern over the arrests of opposition politicians in Georgia and the persecution of critics of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Knut Abraham, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said the arrests, public intimidation, beatings and detentions of protesters “sound very familiar” and that “we must learn from past mistakes.”
European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper stated that politically motivated prosecutions and imprisonment of opposition leaders run counter to fundamental democratic values.
Knut Abraham, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said:
“The arrests and imprisonment of opposition politicians, intimidation of civil society, beatings and detention of protesters — it all sounds very familiar. This is the reality today in Russia and Belarus. For too long we watched as one repressive law after another was adopted in these countries — until it was too late. But we can learn from our mistakes.
We must act if we don’t want to see another Belarus emerge in the Caucasus. Every day, a new opposition politician is arrested in Georgia. As a member of the Council of Europe, Georgia has committed to upholding human rights and protecting democracy. I call on the Committee of Ministers to respect the Council of Europe’s red lines and act now — before it’s too late!”
European Commission spokesperson Anita Hipper said:
“Politically motivated persecution and the imprisonment of opposition leaders in Georgia go against fundamental democratic values.
This is authoritarian behaviour — the opposite of what is expected from an EU candidate country. Georgian Dream must stop using the judiciary as a political weapon.”.
Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, stated:
“The detention of opposition figures is an attack on the democratic foundations of Georgia, which are being shaken more and more each day.
I stand with the Georgian people in their fight for a free and pluralistic society and call on the Georgian authorities to release all journalists, activists, and unjustly detained individuals.”
James McCleary, Member of the UK Parliament, stated:
“As a Member of the British Parliament, I condemn the arrest of my friend Giorgi Vashadze. I was due to meet him next week.
I will write to the Foreign Secretary and demand an immediate response.
All political prisoners in Georgia must be released — the UK must impose sanctions on Ivanishvili and his corrupt government without delay.”
Svenja Hahn, President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), stated:
“I am outraged!
The regime has arrested three more leaders of Georgia’s liberal opposition. This is political persecution. We are witnessing the dismantling of democratic values and freedoms in Georgia in real time. The ‘Georgian Dream’ regime is frightened by ongoing protests, mounting public pressure, and active resistance.
Liberals and Democrats for Europe continue to stand with our friends and the people of Georgia in their fight for democracy. The ‘Georgian Dream’ must uphold its international obligations, immediately release the imprisoned opposition leaders, drop the charges against them, and return Georgia to the European path chosen by its people and required by its Constitution.”
On 24 June, a Georgian court found Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, guilty of failing to appear before a parliamentary commission investigating the actions of Mikheil Saakashvili’s government between 2003 and 2012. He was sentenced to seven months in prison and banned from holding public office for two years.
A day earlier, on 23 June 2025, a court aligned with the ruling Georgian Dream party sentenced three opposition leaders—Mamuka Khazaradze (Lelo), Badri Japaridze (Strong Georgia), and Zurab Japaridze (Coalition for Change)—to prison.
Other opposition figures, including Nika Melia, Zurab Japaridze, and Nika Gvaramia (Coalition for Change), as well as former defence minister Irakli Okruashvili, are already behind bars for refusing to appear before the same commission.
