The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Director of the Tbilisi Police Department Sulkhan Tamazashvili, the Head of the Special Tasks Department Zviad Kharazishvili, and Deputy Head of the Special Tasks Department Mileri Lagazauri.

The sanctions include an asset freeze and a travel ban.

“Vakhtang Gomelauri is an involved person within the meaning of the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 on the basis of the following ground: Vakhtang Gomelauri is and/or has been responsible for activity which amounts to a serious violation of the right of individuals not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Specifically, during the protests that occurred following the announcement of the suspension of EU accession talks, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia oversaw the police force’s disproportionate use of violence against protestors”.