The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has protested against Georgian Dream’s suppression of civil society, independent media, and critical voices in Georgia. The Chargé d'Affaires of Georgia was summoned to the UK Foreign Office, according to a statement released by the FCDO.

“The Chargé d'Affaires of Georgia was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where a senior official clearly expressed the United Kingdom’s strong opposition to Georgia’s increasingly harmful trajectory and firmly protested Georgian Dream’s false accusations and public attacks against the UK and international partners.”

“The arrest of prominent opposition leaders is the latest attempt by the Georgian government to restrict freedoms and silence dissent. The detention of electoral competitors is incompatible with Georgian Dream’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations as well as its own constitutional obligations,” the statement reads.

The UK Foreign Office stated that the UK Government will not hesitate to consider further actions if Georgia does not return to upholding and respecting democracy and human rights.

“The UK Government will not hesitate to consider further measures if Georgia fails to return to respecting and protecting democracy, freedoms, and human rights,” the statement concludes.