Georgia’s democracy is in free fall. The time to act is now.
In recent years Georgia has shifted from democratic backsliding to a more entrenched phase of authoritarian consolidation and in the past few days, the Georgian government—ruled by the Georgian Dream party (GD)—has escalated its assault on democracy to an unprecedented level. In what can only be described as a purge of political dissent, nearly every opposition party leader is now behind bars, facing politically motivated court proceedings. Giorgi Vashadze, Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaridze, Zurab Japaridze, Nika Melia, and other leading figures have all been handed prison sentences—under the pretext of refusing to appear before a new parliamentary inquiry commission they deem in contradiction to Georgian law, thereby legitimizing the undemocratically elected parliament.
Civil society, too, is under siege. At least eight NGOs—many of them the core of Georgia’s human rights and anti-corruption watchdog community—have received court orders that may soon shut them down. Others are expecting theirs imminently. This follows up on the severely restrictive legislative measures introduced by the ruling party as part of their crackdown on CSOs and independent media. GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has even publicly vowed to imprison anyone who questions the legitimacy of the current parliament—a direct threat to nearly all independent voices in the country.
The Georgian Dream regime has abandoned the last pretense of democratic rule. It is arresting political opponents, silencing civil society, and consolidating absolute power. If this trajectory is allowed to continue unchallenged, Georgia will soon become a fully authoritarian country captured by forces affiliated with Russia. This is not just a national crisis—it is a test for the international democratic community. If the democratic nations fail to stand by their principles, another aspiring democracy will be crushed.
The International Coalition for Democratic Renewal urgently calls upon Georgia’s international partners—especially the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom—to act without delay. Condemnations and expressions of concern are no longer enough, clear and decisive action is needed.
We demand:
- Public, unequivocal condemnation of the arrests and politically motivated prosecutions of opposition leaders followed by concrete actions at every political level undertaken to put pressure on the Georgian Dream to end such conduct;
- Taking similar action to ensure the release of all other political prisoners and protestors;
- Targeted sanctions against those responsible for the political persecution and judicial abuse;
- Robust, visible support for Georgian civil society organizations now facing criminalization and closure, including security and funding assistance, and ensuring safe communication channels;
- Increased international media attention and public pressure on the Georgian government to stop this repression and setting Georgia on an authoritarian course.
This statement is submitted on behalf of the International Coalition for Democratic Renewal by its Steering Committee:
- Carl Gershman, Founding President, National Endowment for Democracy, USA
- Maiko Ichihara, Professor, Hitotsubashi University, Japan
- Andréa Papus Ngombet Malewa, Founder, Sassoufit collective, Republic of the Congo
- Jakub Klepal, Executive Director, Forum 2000 Foundation, Czechia
