Jailed opposition leaders in Georgia have written to the British foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, warning of what they consider to be the growing links between their country’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, and Iran.
The seven politicians, writing from prisons in Rustavi, a city in south-east Georgia about 12 miles (20km) from the capital, Tbilisi, have alerted London to what they say is an “unprecedented expansion” of Iranian influence.
They call on Cooper to impose sanctions on those allegedly building ties with Iran and the “owners of propaganda outlets” in Georgia, including those “reportedly based in London” who pushed Georgian government messages.
Earlier this month, the Guardian reported on Hunnewell Partners, a Knightsbridge-based company that owns Imedi TV, the most popular broadcaster in Georgia, which has been accused by the EU of being a “megaphone” for pro-government propaganda.
Writing to Cooper, the jailed politicians say: “We … respectfully
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