Georgia, which has been criticized for using "excessive force" to crack down on anti-government protests, has become increasingly authoritarian, according to Western governments.

Protesters rallied in Georgia’s capital for a fourth straight night on Sunday and there were signs that opposition was spreading across the country to the government’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.

Thousands demonstrated in Tbilisi, Georgia, after the country said it had suspended its bid to join the European Union for four years. The police used tear gas and water cannons on protesters outside the Parliament building.