Canada to impose sanctions against those suppressing Georgia protests

Canada to impose sanctions against those suppressing Georgia protests

Georgia sees its fifth night of consecutive protests against the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union.

At a press conference with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Jolie expressed Canada’s solidarity with the Georgian people, and said they “are very concerned about what Russia is trying to do in Georgia.”

On Sunday, the three Baltic states announced they would impose national sanctions against those “who participate in the suppression of legitimate protests in Georgia.”

Jolie said Canada would follow suit and “will sanction key individuals and also businesses, entities that are involved in either human rights violations or corruption,” based on their own sanctions regime.

It comes as protesters returned to the steps of Georgia’s parliament in Tbilisi on Monday for a fifth night of demonstrations after the government, who were denounced by its critics for allegedly rigging its victory results, decided to halt progress towards European Union membership.

Canada to impose sanctions against those suppressing Georgia protests