EU calls for prompt reversal of NGO bank account restrictions by Georgian government authorities
In Tbilisi, Georgia, on August 27, 2022, the Tbilisi City Court granted the Prosecutor's Office's request to freeze the bank accounts of seven non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The European Union (EU) has strongly condemned this decision, viewing it as an act of political persecution through deliberate financial suffocation.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the funds of these NGOs were allegedly used to purchase special equipment, including gas masks, protective goggles, masks, pepper spray, and other items. However, the statement does not specify which NGOs are affected by the bank account freeze.
The EU has urged Georgia to lift the bank account freeze for independent civil society organizations, expressing concern that this action is part of an investigation into 'sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances, assisting a foreign organization in hostile activities, as well as mobilizing funds for activities directed against the constitutional order and the foundations of Georgiaβs national security.'
The EU's statement describes the bank account freeze as an infringement on fundamental rights and an example of the judiciary being used as a tool of repression. The European Union qualifies the decision as an assault on fundamental rights and a weaponization of the justice system.
The European Union stands with Georgia's civil society, which continues to serve citizens despite growing repression by the authorities. Georgia's civil society has been a driving force of the country's European integration.
The EU's position contradicts the Georgian government's actions, according to the European Union. The European Union has accused the Georgian Dream party of spreading disinformation about the role of the European Union in Georgia. The EU believes the bank account freeze is intended to silence and punish dissenting voices.
Amnesty International has stated that the Georgian government is sabotaging human rights. The European Union views the bank account freeze as an act of political persecution, intended to undermine the work of independent civil society organizations.
The EU urges Georgia to immediately reverse the decision to freeze the bank accounts of independent civil society organizations. The European Union considers the bank account freeze as an attack on Georgia's democratic values and a step backwards in the country's European integration process.
