Thousands of Georgians protested for a third straight night outside the parliament building in Tbilisi on April 17, calling on the government to withdraw its controversial "foreign agents" bill. Critics say it is similar to legislation that was used in Russia to silence dissent.
Protesters Vow To Continue Demos As Georgia's 'Foreign Agents' Law Passes First Reading
Thousands of Georgians rally late into the night on April 17-18 in front of parliament, demanding that the government immediately withdraw a controversial "foreign agents" bill.
Protests have been going on since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced its intentions of reintroducing the bill after a previous version was dropped in 2023. This new version omits the phrase "foreign agent."
An aerial view of the mass protests in Tbilisi on April 17
The government withdrew the bill introduced last year due to widespread protests against the proposal. The law would require organizations with foreign funding to register their activities, give the authorities broad oversight powers, and allow criminal penalties for vague infractions.
Protesters hold up signs that say, "Yes to Europe" and "No to Russian law" on April 16.
The controversial law would require media and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register and report their activities to the authorities.
Supporters of the bill say it mirrors similar U.S. legislation and promotes transparency. Opponents say the bill would stifle dissent and silence independent media and compare it to similar legislation in Russia, which is why many call it the "Russian law."
An opposition lawmaker attacked a member of the ruling party as he tried to present the controversial bill, resulting in scuffles in parliament on April 15.
That same day, at least 14 people were arrested during evening protests when scuffles between protesters and police broke out.
The final reading of the bill is scheduled to be debated on May 17. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has said she will veto it if it’s approved.
Zurabishvili said the bill in question was "exactly a copy of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's law." However, the ruling Georgian Dream party has a large enough majority to override her veto.
EU officials said the bill was "incompatible" with the values of the bloc and that it might "negatively impact Georgia's progress on its EU path" if made law.