Georgia Blasts ‘Laughable’ US Human Rights Criticism

The U.S. State Department has ignited a diplomatic firestorm with its latest annual human rights report, which leveled sharp criticism against the governments of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan for democratic backsliding. While Yerevan and Baku have remained silent on the findings, officials in Tbilisi have forcefully pushed back, dismissing the accusations as “laughable” and advising Washington to re-examine its own standards of justice.

The U.S. report focused heavily on Georgia, accusing the ruling “Georgian Dream” party of undermining democratic norms. It specifically cited the controversial “law on transparency of foreign influence,” widely criticized as a “foreign agents law,” as a tool for restricting freedom of speech and intimidating citizens. The document highlighted significant human rights issues, including credible reports of torture, cruel and inhuman treatment, arbitrary arrests, and a persistent problem of impunity for officials who commit abuses.

Furthermore, the State Department raised concerns that government intimidation may have impacted the integrity of parliamentary elections. The report detailed brutal attacks on dozens of media workers covering protests, allegedly carried out by government officials or individuals acting on behalf of the ruling party. These assaults involved beatings, the use of pepper spray, tear gas, and water cannons, resulting in severe injuries such as spinal and facial fractures and chemical burns, which required hospitalization for several journalists.

In response, Georgian authorities have vehemently rejected the report’s conclusions. First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Giorgi Volsky, defended the police response during protests as a necessary measure to protect the state. He claimed that non-governmental organizations deliberately provoked confrontations to create incidents of harm and that such “deviations” are minimal in Georgia compared to other global democracies. Another senior “Georgian Dream” MP, Irakli Kirtskhalia, mocked the American assessment, calling it “ridiculous” to suggest media freedom is limited in Georgia, especially when, in his view, the U.S. itself enacts far more restrictive laws.

Beyond Georgia, the State Department report also scrutinized its neighbors. Armenia was criticized for arbitrary arrests, though fewer than in the previous year, and for pressure on independent journalists. Azerbaijan faced even graver accusations, including war crimes, extrajudicial killings, and widespread political repression. However, unlike their Georgian counterparts, officials in Yerevan and Baku have chosen not to publicly react to the report.

Political analyst Nika Chitadze suggests this divergence in reactions stems from the countries’ current relationships with Washington. He notes that Armenia and Azerbaijan are engaged in U.S.-mediated peace negotiations, making them reluctant to antagonize a key partner. In contrast, Georgia’s “Georgian Dream” government is increasingly concerned about its legitimacy in the eyes of the U.S. and EU. This anxiety is amplified by the potential for new U.S. sanctions under the proposed MEGOBARI Act, which could be signed into law this autumn, raising the stakes for Tbilisi’s defiant stance.