Ivanishvili co-founded the ruling party Georgian Dream, but he currently holds no official office in the country. Despite this, he is believed to still have significant influence on the party's policy.
"We strongly condemn Georgian Dream's actions under Ivanishvili's leadership, including the ongoing and violent suppression of Georgian citizens, demonstrators, media personnel, human rights activists, and opposition members," says US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.
Forbes ranks Bidzina Ivanishvili as one of the world's 700 richest people, with an estimated fortune of approximately 54 billion kronor. Ivanishvili is believed to have built his fortune as a businessman in the Russian banking and mineral industry, among other things.
During Georgian Dream's time in government, the country is believed to have moved closer to Russia, with widespread and recurring demonstrations as a result. Among other things, the Georgian government has decided to freeze all talks about EU membership until 2028.
The party declared itself the winner of the autumn election, where it received 89 of the parliament's 150 seats. The result has not been recognized by the country's opposition or by the EU Parliament, which claims electoral fraud.
