“Following Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have strongly condemned serious violations of human rights in connection with the protests in Georgia, announcing an entry ban on a number of Georgian officials. Source: “European Truth” Details: A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia states that on December 2, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna imposed sanctions, banning entry to Estonia of 11 Georgian government officials, including Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Homelauri and the Honorary Chairman of the ruling party Georgia’s “Georgian Dream” by Bidzin Ivanishvili.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Following Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have strongly condemned serious violations of human rights in connection with the protests in Georgia, announcing an entry ban on a number of Georgian officials.
Source: “European truth”
Details: The Estonian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that on December 2, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna imposed sanctions, banning entry to Estonia of 11 Georgian government officials, including Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Homelauri and Honorary Chairman of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
According to Tsakhna, the entry ban was imposed on these people because they participated in gross human rights violations through the violent suppression of legitimate protests in Georgia.
“The people of Georgia can stand up for their rights because the ruling party has long and systematically lied to its people, and people have the right to express their will by protesting. The violence against protesters is disproportionate and against human rights,” Tsakhna said.
The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia indicated that Latvia and Lithuania have introduced similar entry bans.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia said that in response to the suppression of the protests, the Ambassador of Georgia to Latvia Iraklii Kurashvili was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia to listen to the condemnation of the violence by the Georgian authorities and to accept a note of protest.
“Latvia notes that such actions are contrary to Georgia’s international obligations, in particular to strengthen democracy and the rule of law in the country. Latvia calls on the competent authorities of Georgia to immediately stop the violence, ensure the safety and protection of peaceful protesters, and bring to the responsibility of the officials who committed these violations”, the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic state states.
Earlier on Monday, Gabrielus Landsbergis, the outgoing Lithuanian foreign minister, informed about the ban on entry for a number of Georgian officials.
We will remind, in Georgia for several days large-scale anti-government protests continue after the government’s statement that it refuses to hold negotiations on joining the EU for the next four years.
Georgian security forces have been using harsh measures against protesters, which has drawn condemnation from the West.
For more information about the events in Georgia, see video blog about the causes and consequences of protests and read in article “Georgian authorities change foreign course and start revolution”.