U.S. Helsinki Commission Members Call to Sanction Georgian Dream After OSCE Report

2026-03-19 - 08:42

The bipartisan leadership of the U.S. Helsinki Commission has called on U.S. officials to use sanctions and “other available tools” to insist the Georgian Dream authorities comply with the recommendations of the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism report. The report, published on March 12 under the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism, a human dimension instrument invoked by 24 participating states and authored by sole rapporteur Patrycja Grzebyk, points to “marked democratic backsliding” in Georgia since spring 2024. Among its key recommendations are the immediate release of “all prisoners held for political reasons” and the repeal of a series of restrictive laws. In a March 18 statement, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Roger Wicker, Co-Chairman Representative Joe Wilson, Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen, and Commissioner Senator Jeanne Shaheen, said that “the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report is clear: Georgian Dream is robbing the Georgian people of their hard-won freedom and turning their country into an isolated, authoritarian state.” They called on U.S. officials to join with European partners to “use sanctions and other available tools to insist that Georgian authorities heed the recommendations in this report. We must demand that they release all political prisoners, drop politically motivated charges against opposition politicians, and repeal undemocratic and unjust laws.” U.S. lawmakers further said the report documents “inhumane treatment” by Georgian authorities toward protesters, political prisoners, and other dissenting voices. They pointed to what they described as “unjust prosecutions of protestors,” “abuse of protestors, political opposition, and journalists,” and the “public intimidation of journalists.” Georgian Dream officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, have dismissed the Moscow Mechanism report’s findings as “pre-written,” accusing the rapporteur of “political bias” and alleging a “conflict of interest.” Also Read: 13/03/2026 – Tbilisi ‘Vigorously Rejects’ OSCE Findings as Member States Call to Fulfill Recommendations 29/01/2026 – 24 Countries Invoke OSCE Moscow Mechanism on Georgia