WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 20, 2025) – The McCain Institute condemns the recent attacks on Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia at the Tbilisi airport upon return from the Munich Security Conference, as well as the Georgian Dream regime’s ongoing arrests of and violence against democracy protestors across Georgia.
On the morning of February 18, Zourabichvili was verbally attacked and pelted with eggs after she landed at the Tbilisi airport. This follows a similar incident the day before when Gakharia and his party member Elguja Khokrishvili were also ambushed by “Titushky,” thugs hired by the Georgian Dream. The attackers themselves shared videos of the incident on social media. Georgian security police were present during both ambushes but did not intervene.
These incidents are part of increasing repression and violence in Georgia. Georgians have been protesting for more than two months following corrupt elections and the illegitimate Georgian Dream government’s announcement to suspend the European Union accession process. Since the protests began, over 500 people have been arrested and 300 tortured by Georgian Dream forces. In recent days, the regime has attacked well-known civic activists, like Nikoloz Latsabidze, leading to hospitalization.
“The attacks on respected Georgian statespersons represent Georgian Dream’s descent into autocracy and are part of their playbook to attack and suppress anyone critical of the regime,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. “Senator John McCain consistently defended Georgian democracy and stood up for pluralism, free and fair elections, and rule of law, all of which this regime has undermined.”
Georgian Dream has passed a new package of repressive laws criminalizing criticism of the government, restricting speech and assembly, violating due process for protestors, and removing NGO participation in policy decision-making. The regime has also introduced “road blocking” regulations targeted at protestors who demonstrate in the streets. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in fines and arrests. Journalist and political prisoner Mzia Amaghlobeli was arrested on dubious charges and embarked on a 38-day hunger strike. She has ended her strike and remains in a fragile health condition and is still held in pretrial detention, as all her legal appeals have been dismissed.
Amaghlobeli represents one of the four groups of political prisoners that the McCain Institute is focusing on freeing through its John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FFPI). A founder of two news websites, Amaghlobeli has said, “Today it is me, tomorrow it could be anyone who dares to dream of a just, democratic European Georgia, untouched by Russian influence, unshaken by oppression . . . I will not bow to this regime. I will not play by its rules.” She must be released immediately.
To further enable the regime in its repression, this week, Georgian Dream introduced a new treason law into the criminal code. Democracy watchdogs point out that the code will provide a blanket pretext for arrests where other laws fall short. An identical tactic was employed by Russia to subvert opposition and was used to unlawfully sentence Vladimir Kara-Murza to one of the longest prison sentences in living memory.
“As we have seen in other authoritarian regimes, ‘treason’ will be a convenient catchall to arrest any critic of the regime. It is also a useful propaganda tool to stigmatize and discredit protestors among the general public,” said McCain Institute Senior Director of Global Democracy Programs Laura Thornton.
The McCain Institute continues to call for new elections in Georgia under a reformed electoral and legal framework with oversight from international observers. Zourabichvili and democracy activists have declared the October 2024 Georgian parliamentary election illegitimate due to widespread intimidation and manipulation by the ruling Georgian Dream party and have stood behind the opposition parties refusing their mandates. Zourabichvili has refused to step down as president, describing the illegitimate takeover of her country.
Zourabichvili is currently serving as the McCain Institute’s Kissinger Fellow. Learn more HERE.
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The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs defend democracy, advance human rights and freedom, and empower character-driven leaders. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
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