Appeal from Members of the Georgian Diaspora in Denmark and South Sweden
Regarding the Worsening Situation in Georgia
Your Excellency,
We, members of the Georgian diaspora residing in Denmark and South Sweden, extend our
deepest and most sincere gratitude for the unwavering and principled support that your
government and citizens have consistently demonstrated toward the people of Georgia. Your
solidarity during this critical juncture is both profoundly meaningful and of immeasurable
value.
Georgia is currently undergoing a deeply troubling transformation marked by the rapid
consolidation of authoritarian rule. An illegitimate government is systematically dismantling
the foundations of democracy through repressive legislation, while simultaneously engaging
in the brutal persecution of civil activists, the blatant violation of fundamental human rights,
and a deliberate attempt to derail the country's Euro-Atlantic integration.
Sustained public protest, along with targeted sanctions imposed by Western partners, has
already begun to produce visible effects. This is evident in the shifting tone and behavior of
politicians from the ruling party, Georgian Dream. In light of these developments, we
respectfully urge you to intensify your sanctions policy, and at this stage, to pay particular
attention to the imposition of visa, financial, or other restrictive measures against so-called
"false witnesses" and violent police officers.
The term “false witnesses” has been widely adopted by the Georgian public and
independent media to describe police officers who, in the absence of credible evidence, or
even in blunt contradiction to existing evidence, testify against civil activists, falsely
accusing them of various offenses. Based on such fabricated testimonies, courts routinely
impose administrative detention or impose heavy fines, while the penitentiary system
engages in degrading treatment, and, in some instances, subjects detainees to torture. To
date, hundreds of peaceful activists have either been imprisoned or subjected to
incommensurate financial penalties as a direct consequence of these false and politically
motivated testimonies.
Additionally, we ask you to consider extending sanctions to those police officers who have
exhibited extraordinary cruelty during the arrest and detention of protesters. We believe that
sanctioning the executors of the repressive apparatus, namely, the “false witnesses” and
violent law enforcement officers, would be an effective step toward dismantling the
authoritarian grip of the Georgian Dream government.
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