Georgia accelerating into Orwellian authoritarianism
“George Orwell wrote in 1984, ‘If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.’ We see that boot stamping on the faces of regime critics. This is not a future vision anymore; it is our present reality.”
These were the words of Teona Sekhniashvili, who monitors media attacks as part of her role at the International Press Institute in Vienna and who was speaking to me about her native Georgia.
The country has been gripped by widespread protests since the controversial re-election of the Georgian Dream party in late October (read our report on the run-up here) and the government’s declaration in November that talks for European Union accession were on hold. While protests waned briefly, they flared up again in recent days. Thousands gathered on Sunday in Tbilisi, the capital, only to be met with forceful police action, leading to arrests – including two well-known opposition figures, Nika Melia and Gigi Ugulava. Both were released on bail, but their experiences, like those of many others, raise alarm. Melia reported being kicked by a senior police official while handcuffed, and independent TV station Pirveli aired disturbing footage of police violently assaulting detained protesters.
The case of prominent journalist Mzia Amaglobeli (pictured above) is equally troubling. She now lies in a hospital bed on hunger strike. Amaglobeli was arrested twice in January, the first for pasting a sticker about an upcoming strike on a police station wall, a symbol of resistance in a climate where even the simplest acts of defiance are now being banned. During her subsequent release, police targeted her supporters, leading to an altercation where Amaglobeli lightly slapped an officer. This action was widely publicised by state media, though Transparency International Georgia described the slap as harmless and believe authorities are exploiting it to make an example of her. Off-camera, witnesses reported she was subjected to harsh and abusive language by a senior police officer, who, according to her lawyers, spat in her face.
For Sekhniashvili, Amaglobeli is more than just a name – she is a friend and a symbol of courage. Sekhniashvili tells me that she is “very brave, very inspiring, calm, pleasant and polite”.
The rise of authoritarianism in Georgia is impossible to ignore. As Sekhniashvili observes, the state’s crackdown on democracy and human rights is accelerating at an alarming rate. What remains of the country’s freedoms is being systematically dismantled. Just yesterday, plans to ban spontaneous protests were announced. The words of Amaglobeli, said from prison, ring in Sekhniashvili’s ears: "I will not bow to this regime. I will not play by its rules.”
Orwell’s boots are stamping on the faces of Georgians; it seems they will not take it lying down.
Jemimah Steinfeld
CEO, Index on Censorship
