Andragendet er stilet til: Petition to Senator Alex Padilla United States Senate Los Angeles Field Office 255 E. Temple St. Suite 1860 Los Angeles, CA 90012

Dear Senator Padilla,

We, the undersigned residents of California — originally from Georgia (the country, not the U.S. state) and friends of Georgia — write to you with deep concern about the ongoing political crisis in our homeland.

In October 2024, parliamentary elections in Georgia were marred by serious irregularities. Independent international observers and local monitoring organizations documented widespread evidence of electoral fraud, through which the ruling party, Georgian Dream, unlawfully seized power. Since then, the Georgian people have been protesting against this illegitimate parliament and government. These protests have continued for more than 300 days, and on October 4, one of the largest demonstrations is expected to take place in Tbilisi. We fully support this peaceful movement.

Unfortunately, the government has responded with brutal repression. Activists have been beaten, imprisoned, and silenced. Many remain in prison on political charges, while others face disproportionate financial penalties for their participation in protests. Leaders of opposition parties have been jailed and stripped of their rights. Despite these hardships, the people of Georgia continue to resist and fight for freedom, independence, and democracy.

At the same time, the current government has reversed Georgia’s historic pro-Western orientation. It has declared the United States and the West as “enemies” and has moved to strengthen ties with authoritarian regimes, including Russia, Iran, and China. This shift directly contradicts the values, culture, and history of the Georgian nation, which has always identified as European and pro-Western. Georgians are proud to be among the world’s first Christian nations and have consistently aspired toward European integration and democratic governance.

Across Europe and the democratic world, parliaments and governments have condemned the actions of Georgian Dream. We are grateful that American lawmakers from both parties, as well as both past and current administrations, have spoken out in support of the Georgian people.

We respectfully urge you, Senator Padilla, as the representative of our great state of California, to continue and expand support for the people of Georgia. We ask that you work with your colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives to ensure that America stands firmly with the Georgian people in their struggle for democracy, freedom, and Western values.

Thank you for your attention and for your commitment to defending democracy worldwide.

Respectfully,