The country of Georgia deepened its authoritarian turn last week after charging eight opposition figures with “sabotage,” “calling for the overthrow of the government,” and “helping a foreign country in hostile activities,” a reference to links with the United States. Many of the country’s politicians, along with roughly 70 other opponents of its government, are already serving sentences on earlier cases, while others await trial. The new charges arrived just days after the governing Georgian Dream party took steps toward its declared goal of banning three major opposition parties.

The moves come amid protests that began in November 2024, when the government abruptly halted Georgia’s bid to join the European Union. In a country where polls suggest over 80% of people support Western integration, the move led tens of thousands to take to the streets.