The flag of Georgia. Photo: InstagramFOTOGRAFIN /
On 31 May, the law “On the Registration of Foreign Agents” officially came into force in Georgia, which the country’s authorities position as an analogue of the US FARA act. At the same time, the opposition and human rights activists claim that the document is much closer to the repressive model adopted in Russia in 2024. This was reported by SOVA.
According to the law, legal entities and individuals receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad must register, submit annual financial reports, and will be subject to control by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Human rights activists warn that the law is an instrument of pressure on civil society.
A number of NGOs and media outlets, including the Association of Young Lawyers, Studio Monitor and Georgian News, have already filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court challenging the unconstitutionality of the document.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights criticised the law, calling it a threat to the freedoms of association, speech and peaceful assembly, and warned of a negative impact on the work of human rights defenders.
Meanwhile, protests in the country have been ongoing since 2023. People are calling for European integration, new parliamentary elections and the release of arrested protesters. In return, the government has stepped up sanctions against demonstrators, increasing fines and arrest terms.
