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Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia Unite to Sanction Georgian Officials for Violent Protest Crackdowns

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Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia Unite to Sanction Georgian Officials for Violent Protest Crackdowns
Protesters holding Georgian and European flags clash with police during a demonstration against the government’s decision to delay European Union membership talks amid a post-election crisis, in Tbilisi, on December 1, 2024. (Source: Getty Images)

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will impose national sanctions on individuals responsible for suppressing protests in Georgia, where demonstrators continue to rally against the government’s decision to delay EU membership talks, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced on X on December 1.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia published a list of Georgians, who violated human rights and denied to enter their country on December 2.

“The three Baltic States jointly agreed to impose national sanctions against those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia,” Landsbergis stated, emphasizing that violators of human rights and democracy are “not welcome” in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

“We stand with the Georgian people and their choice for a European future,” Kallas said, reaffirming the EU’s support.

The protests in Georgia erupted on November 28 and have intensified into a nationwide movement. Georgian security forces have responded with harsh tactics, drawing widespread condemnation from Western nations.

On Sunday, Georgia’s Interior Ministry reported that 27 protesters, 16 police officers, and one journalist were hospitalized.

A total of 224 people have been arrested since the protests began. Between December 1 and 2, an additional 21 police officers were injured, raising the total number of injured officers to 113 since November 28.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemned the ongoing human rights violations and the use of force against peaceful protesters in Georgia.

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