The files we follow: Armenia-Azerbaijan relations; Georgia between Russian influence and Western aspirations; Georgia/Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflict; South Caucasian energy, trade and transport issues; Human rights in the South Caucasus.
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Protests and escalating repression
Protests against Russian influence and the Georgian government’s policies dominated the news for the 19th consecutive day. Demonstrators condemn the authoritarian drift of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s government and the suspension of the European integration process. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) released a damning report on police violence, describing law enforcement actions as ‘organised terror’. Since the protests began, 352 people have been arrested, 226 of whom reported physical abuse in custody.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze defended controversial measures such as a ban on face coverings at public gatherings, while declaring his intention to ‘neutralise the radical opposition’. In addition, several opposition figures, including Nika Gvaramia and Aleko Elisashvili, have been arrested in what local and international observers have described as arbitrary conditions.
International reactions: Sanctions and diplomatic pressure
Amid escalating tensions, the European Union suspended visa liberalisation for Georgian diplomatic passport holders as a first step towards possible punitive measures. Discussions at the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 December will focus on the imposition of targeted sanctions against Georgian officials.
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