Prosecutors in Georgia have launched a criminal investigation into five civil society organizations, accusing them of “sabotage” and freezing their bank accounts in what critics say is an effort to suppress anti-government demonstrations.
In a statement Monday, the Prosecutor’s Office said the groups had funneled more than two million lari (about $711,744) to finance “illegal activities,” including paying protesters’ fines and purchasing equipment. Authorities claim the groups bear responsibility for violence and destruction linked to recent demonstrations.
The investigation marks the latest effort by Georgian authorities to clamp down on dissent after months of sporadic protests, which erupted in November following the government’s decision to delay European Union membership talks until 2028. The ruling Georgian Dream party, which won national elections last year in a contested vote, has faced growing accusations of suppressing opposition voices.
Among the groups targeted is the Human Rights House Tbilisi, a local chapter of the international Human Rights House Foundation.
“There was no warning, nothing. We just discovered by chance that all our accounts had been completely nullified,” said Natia Tavberidze, the group’s coordinator. She said the government’s action appeared to be linked to its support for demonstrators, including legal and medical aid.
Nanuka’s Fund, a charitable foundation created by television host Nanuka Zhorzholiani, was also affected.
“The Prosecutor’s Office has no legal evidence to support its claims,” Zhorzholiani said in a Facebook livestream, calling the move “clearly a political decision.”
In a separate Facebook post, Zhorzholiani said that the decision to freeze the fund’s bank accounts would also impact other beneficiaries, including those caring for sick children, struggling students, and people living in poverty or facing problems with debt.
Another organization, NGO Prosperity Georgia, which has assisted protesters and provided financial aid to fired public sector workers, said in a statement that its operations had been “disrupted” by the bank account freeze. Two other groups, the Foundation “For Each Other” and the Shame Movement, were also named in the prosecutors’ statement.
The Foundation “For Each Other” could not immediately be reached for comment, while the Shame Movement responded with defiance. “We have not existed since October, and yet [Georgian Dream founder Bidzina] Ivanishvili is still fighting the shadow of our movement,” the group wrote on Facebook.
A pro-government organization, United Neutral Georgia, claimed credit for prompting the investigation, saying it had filed a statement with prosecutors. On February 10, the authorities said they had launched a probe after receiving the complaint.
