UK MP James MacCleary, speaking at a briefing during the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, called on Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili to release political prisoners and journalists, hold transparent and fair elections, and allow the Georgian people to determine their own path.
MacCleary claimed that the current situation in Georgia is “unacceptable” and reflects a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism.
“The arrest of opposition leaders and leading journalists is unacceptable, and they must be released immediately. I absolutely and unequivocally condemn this,” MacCleary said.
He recalled that the UK has already imposed sanctions on certain individuals in Georgia, including those linked to the Georgian Dream government. “I personally requested sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili and others. And I want to address him directly: if you want us to stop talking about you, threatening you with sanctions, or condemning your authoritarian actions, it’s very simple—release political prisoners, release journalists, allow the Georgian people to choose their own future, and hold free and fair elections. That decision is not yours to make,” the MP stressed.
MacCleary urged Georgian Dream to “stop the regression towards authoritarianism” and to ensure free and democratic elections that will “facilitate the emergence of a bright future for all of us.”
