Georgians rally against foreign agent law, fearing it may silence dissent
On Saturday, tens of thousands of Georgians gathered in the streets of Tbilisi to peacefully protest against a controversial foreign agent law proposed by the government. They marched along the banks of the Kura River, vocally supporting "Georgia! Georgia!".
Reuters reports, based on eyewitness accounts, that the demonstration drew over 50,000 participants.
Mass protests in Georgian streets
The AFP agency observed protesters carrying Georgian and European Union flags as they marched and chanted "Georgia! Georgia!" near the Kura River.
The demonstration unfolded a day after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the government would persist with the bill despite opposition from younger citizens who, he claimed, were "misled" and harboured hostility towards Russia.
Social unrest in Georgia has unfolded since early April following an announcement by the Georgian Dream party about reviving the bill, which was halted last year due to social opposition.
On May 1, the Georgian parliament, controlled by the Georgian Dream party, approved the second reading of the draft law on the transparency of foreign influences, also known as the foreign agent law.
The legislation requires legal entities and media receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from foreign sources to register and report their activities, placing them on a special register of foreign influence agents. The Justice Ministry would have the authority to inspect these organizations at will.
Critics argue that the law could be exploited to suppress opposition and silence independent media, similar to practices observed in Russia.
Members from the United States and European Union have voiced their concerns over the progression of the bill and have urged the Georgian government to abandon the proposal. They argue it undermines Georgia's European aspirations and the process of European integration.
As of December 2023, Georgia has been granted candidate status for EU membership. Polls suggest that approximately 80 percent of Georgians are in favor of joining the European Union.
