UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: the new Law on Foreign Influence in Georgia affects freedom of expression and association

In Georgia, a new Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence has been adopted. The law on foreign agents' influence requires media, NGOs and non-profit organizations to declare that they are pursuing the interests of a foreign power in the case that more than 20% of their funding comes from abroad.

Civil society and human rights defenders had already warned of the risks this law poses to the right to freedom of expression and association. As Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned, this can also have a negative impact on the work of all the people working for civil rights and media independence.

As a consequence of this new law, protests broke out in Tbilisi. These demonstrations have been promptly and violently suppressed by police, with great regret by the opponents to the law and by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders who, in 2023, were reassured that the law would not be introduced.

In May 2024, the law was easily passed by the Parliament, without taking into consideration the media and civil society’s position. Hence, experts criticized the lack of transparent and inclusive consultations with civil society, the general public, and opposition parties.

Mr. Volker Türk urges that the law must be repealed and calls for dialogue with media and human rights defenders. Independent experts stress that human rights defenders and peaceful protestors are not enemies of the states.