Britain has said it is severely restricting its contacts with the Georgia government and blasted its "shocking" crackdown on journalists and pro-Western demonstrators, reflecting earlier moves by the United States and European Union.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy on December 9 said the "shocking scenes of violence toward protesters and journalists by the Georgian authorities are unacceptable and must stop."
"In light of ongoing events, the U.K. will immediately suspend all program support to the Georgian government, restrict defense cooperation, and limit engagement with representatives of Georgian Dream government until there is a halt to this move away from European democratic norms and freedoms."
Rustaveli: Georgia’s Road Of Protest
Tensions have been high in Georgia since the ruling Georgian Dream party won an election on October 26 that the pro-Western opposition and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili say was rigged with the help of Moscow.
Protests intensified after the Tbilisi government said it was suspending until 2028 talks with Brussels on Georgia's bid to join the European Union.
Protesters gathered again late on December 9 for the 12th consecutive night of rallies in the capital, with many calling for a rerun of the October election, the release of those arrested during previous demonstrations, and the resumption of EU membership talks.
The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi on December 9 urged that those "responsible for the brutal and unjustified violence -- including against protesters, members of the media, and opposition figures -- must be held to account."
"Those detained for exercising their human rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression must be released immediately."
The United States on December 4 urged the government to treat protesters with dignity after several days of a brutal crackdown in Tbilisi and accusation of excessive use of force and even torture by riot police.
"In addition to continuing our previously announced comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation, the United States is now preparing to use the tools at our disposal, including additional sanctions," the U.S. State Department said.
SEE ALSO: Opposition Leader Recovering After Violent Arrest As U.S. Warns Georgia To Halt BrutalityThis summer, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was pausing more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, due to its "anti-democratic actions and false statements" that were "incompatible with membership norms in the EU and NATO."
In October, the EU reiterated "its serious concern regarding the course of action in Georgia which runs contrary to the values and principles upon which the European Union is founded."
Zurabishvili, a fervent critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media," comparing the crackdown to "Russian-style repression."
Despite the growing protests, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests.
According to surveys, a majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.
Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law that critics say threatens media and civil society groups by accusing them of "serving" outside powers.