Georgian Dream has shown no indication they will return to their European path and uphold the democratic wishes of its own electorate, - said Stephen Doughty, Minister of State of the United Kingdom for Europe and North America.

Doughty responded to the presentation of the Defender of Democracy Award to the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA).

The award was presented by the UK and seven of its OSCE partner countries, including the US, Sweden, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, Montenegro and the Netherlands.

“I congratulate the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) on winning the prestigious Democracy Defender Award gifted by the UK and seven OSCE partners. The GYLA is providing essential support to human rights activists and civil society organisations in Georgia who are coming under increasing pressure from repressive legislation.

After months of democratic backsliding, arbitrary arrests, and the use of excessive force against protestors, politicians and journalists, Georgian Dream has shown no indication they will return to their European path and uphold the democratic wishes of its own electorate.

I urge the Georgian authorities to reverse this isolationist behaviour, and I thank the GYLA for their important work protecting the fundamental rights of Georgian people,” said Doughty, whose comments were released by the British Embassy in Georgia.