EU urges Georgia to lift NGO account freeze
The European Union calls on the Georgian authorities to immediately reverse the decision to freeze the bank accounts of independent civil society organizations, according to a statement by the EU’s official representative.
The incident was described as yet another infringement on fundamental rights and an example of the judiciary being used as a tool of repression. The EU qualified this decision as an act of political persecution – a deliberate deprivation of access to funds aimed at silencing and punishing dissent.
On August 27, the Tbilisi City Court granted the prosecutor’s request to freeze the bank accounts of seven non-governmental organizations as 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 Georgia’s national security.’
According to the Prosecutor’s Office statement, the funds of these NGOs were used to purchase special equipment – gas masks, protective goggles, masks, pepper spray, and other items ‘which protesters actively used during violent clashes with the police.
Text of the statement
“The European Union urges the Georgian authorities to immediately reverse the decision to freeze the bank accounts of independent civil society organisations.
This is another assault on fundamental rights and a weaponisation of the justice system as a tool of repression – an act of political persecution through deliberate financial suffocation, intended to silence and punish dissenting voices.
Civil society organisations are not enemies of the state, but the backbone of democratic pluralism and accountability. For years, Georgia’s vibrant civil society has been a driving force of the country’s European integration, delivering tangible benefits to its citizens. Targeting these organisations contradicts fundamental democratic values and undermines the basic principles expected of a candidate country.
The European Union stands firmly with Georgia’s resilient and brave civil society, which continues to serve the citizens despite growing repression by the authorities.”
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