When the UK Government Considers Sanctions Against Georgian Dream – But British Lawyers Cozy Up to Human Rights Abusers

There are moments when you wonder if international politics has turned into an absurd theatre—or if this is all just bitter reality. Welcome to Tbilisi, where on 6 May 2025 a very special performance took place: the English Law Forum, organized by the Georgian Bar Association in cooperation with the Law Society of England & Wales, offering Georgian lawyers the unique opportunity to mingle with Barristers and Solicitors from Britain. Among them: Oliver Powell KC, a heavyweight in British legal circles, renowned for his work in business and corporate crime.

Ah, the irony: While the UK government is considering imposing sanctions on members of the ruling Georgian Dream party—for its attacks on civil society and democratic backsliding—it simultaneously sends a smiling delegation of lawyers to Tbilisi to exchange legal expertise with the very people driving those authoritarian policies. If this isn’t a textbook case of British “pragmatic diplomacy,” what is?

British Lawyers Upholding Rule of Law—or Just a PR Exercise?

The forum kicked off with grand opening speeches. And who was sitting in the front row? None other than David Asatiani, Chairman of the Georgian Bar Association; Paata Salia, Georgia’s Minister of Justice—a man not exactly famous for defending press freedom or judicial independence; Gareth Ward, the UK’s Ambassador to Georgia; and other dignitaries. Everyone praised cooperation, spoke of “strengthening the rule of law,” and perhaps quietly dreamed of Tbilisi one day resembling London—at least legally.

And then came Oliver Powell KC, speaking on two panels covering international arbitration, asset tracing, enforcement of judgments, investor-state dispute settlement, and, naturally, rule of law. Rule of law? In a country whose government is currently pushing through a “foreign agents” law condemned by Brussels as an assault on NGOs, media, and civil society? It takes a very British sense of humour to invoke “rule of law” in this context.

Between Morality and Market Interests

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about personally criticizing Oliver Powell KC. He’s undoubtedly a top expert in corporate crime, anti-corruption, and compliance. He literally wrote the book on the Proceeds of Crime Act and Bribery Law. But therein lies the bitter twist: an anti-corruption expert sharing a stage with a Bar Association leadership widely seen as an extension of the ruling party? The irony is hard to ignore.

The English Law Forum was officially aimed at promoting British legal services—especially international arbitration and dispute resolution in London. No doubt, there’s business to be made here. London remains a global hub for arbitration, and Georgia, despite its democratic erosion, is still an emerging market. Networking with government-linked legal elites? Just part of the game.

That the same government is facing criticism for undermining judicial independence and repressing dissent? That’s apparently just a small PR inconvenience.

Double Standards as Diplomatic Strategy?

It’s impossible to overlook this balancing act: the EU is debating sanctions against Georgian government figures; the UK is reportedly considering similar measures; yet at the same time, those very officials are being celebrated on international legal forums. If sanctions are meant to send a signal—how credible is it to simultaneously celebrate high-level legal cooperation?

Of course, proponents will argue that this is about legal dialogue, professional exchange, and global standards. But who really benefits? The Georgian public fighting for their civil liberties—or a legal elite deeply intertwined with the ruling party?

A Forum of Missed Opportunities

So what remains of the 2025 English Law Forum in Tbilisi? A gathering that, on paper, aimed to promote the rule of law, but in reality felt like a glamorous distraction. The photos show smiling faces, friendly discussions, international networking—yet they leave out the fact that Georgia’s judiciary is under increasing political pressure, that judges are appointed along party lines, and that the government is passing repressive laws to stifle civil society.

Perhaps it wasn’t so much a forum of rule of law, but rather a forum of rule of lobbying.

And while British lawyers toast to “good cooperation,” one question remains unanswered: Who’s giving keynote speeches on the panels of Georgia’s pro-democracy movement?

At Tiflis24, we’ll continue watching closely. Stay tuned.