The Georgian government has initiated a bill that significantly increases the penalties for participating in protests. In some cases, violators may face up to 10 years in prison. This was reported by Reuters.
The political crisis in the country has been going on for several months. The protests erupted after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced a freeze on EU accession talks until 2028. The authorities explain this as necessary to stabilise the country, but opponents accuse the government of abandoning its pro-European course and moving closer to Russia.
New punishments for protests
The government’s proposed amendments to the legislation provide for:
- Increasing the term of administrative arrest from 15 to 60 days.
- Higher fines and prison terms for “disorderly conduct”, “insulting the police” and “disobedience to law enforcement”.
- 5-10 years in prison for threatening or using force against law enforcement officers.
According to Mamuki Mdinaradze, one of the leaders of the Georgian Dream, these measures are necessary to protect the state from external interference. He said that Western countries, including the United States, could be behind the protests.
Suppression of protests and arrests
The authorities are already taking harsh measures against the protesters. On Sunday, thousands of Georgians blocked a highway near Tbilisi, demanding new elections. Police detained eight activists, including former Tbilisi mayor Giorgi Ugulava, who now faces up to four years in prison.
Civil society organisations accuse the authorities of mass arrests and beatings of demonstrators. At the same time, the government denies allegations of election fraud and insists that the elections were fair.
Despite a decrease in the number of protests in January, the opposition and activists vow to continue their struggle. The situation in Georgia remains tense, and new repressive laws can only undermine public confidence in the government and exacerbate the crisis in the country.
