The Georgian government is sabotaging the human rights of its own population, according to a statement by Amnesty International.

The organization’s statement emphasizes that “these repressions of human rights must end.”

“In Georgia, the space for civil society is shrinking. The authorities have frozen the accounts of seven non-governmental organizations and initiated criminal proceedings for ‘sabotage,’ alleging that they funded protective equipment for protesters. Unlike previous cases, this could lead to the imprisonment of NGO leaders.

By labeling independent NGOs as ‘organizers of sabotage,’ the authorities are obstructing their work and sending a dangerous message to others who defend human rights in the country.

By undermining the activities of human rights defenders and civil society representatives, the Georgian government is itself sabotaging the human rights of its population. These repressions of human rights must end,” the statement reads.