Georgian PM denounces sanctions as “gross political interference”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday strongly criticised the recent United Kingdom’s sanctions imposed on Georgian judges, calling the development an unjustified attempt at political interference, and assured that judicial independence in the country remained intact and would continue to be protected.

In his remarks following the meeting with the judges of the Supreme Court and the members of the High Council of Justice, Kobakhidze described the move as a “tragic event” for the countries and entities involved, asserting that no external force had influenced the judiciary since 2012, nor would it in the future.

“The most recent case we saw was with the United Kingdom. As you know, they imposed sanctions on two judges, which is a tragic event. You are all well aware of John Locke, the renowned English philosopher and Enlightenment thinker, who laid the foundations of legal thought in England and, consequently, in the United Kingdom. And now, in John Locke’s country, we are told that there is reasonable suspicion that certain judges were involved in corrupt dealings - without any specific evidence”, the PM said.

“Sanctions, in their very nature, are practically equivalent to criminal punishment. The degree of restriction is so severe that, even by the standards of the European Court of Human Rights, these sanctions could be considered akin to criminal penalties. You know better than I do what the standard is for imposing such sanctions, and yet we are told that reasonable suspicion alone is enough - without any specific proof of corruption - to justify a foreign Government imposing sanctions on Georgian judges. This is truly tragic”, he continued.

Kobakhidze also referenced the previous United States administration’s visa restrictions on Georgian judges, arguing that such actions contradicted the principles upheld by figures like Thomas Jefferson.

“Before this, we saw the previous United States administration impose visa restrictions. The United States is the country of Thomas Jefferson, and it is truly tragic that in Jefferson’s country, Government representatives impose sanctions on Georgian judges and then later admit they have no evidence”, Kobakhidze noted.

Emphasising that Georgia would not tolerate any attempts to undermine its judiciary, Kobakhidze said that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches were united in resisting external pressure.

“No one has undermined the independence of the Georgian judiciary since 2012, and no one ever will. Each of us must guarantee this - and we absolutely will”, the PM concluded.