TBILISI: Thousands of people held protest demonstrations against controversial “foreign agents” proposed law in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on Wednesday. Today was the second consecutive day of the protests in Georgia. The latest protest on Wednesday reported a day following the disputed bill was approved in a first reading in the parliament.
Protests Erupt in Georgia
According to media reports, as many as 66 protestors were arrested on Tuesday evening as protest demonstration against the draft law turned violent. The protests are angry at a proposed controversial law, which would class media groups and non-government entities as “foreign agents” if they receive more than 20 percent of their funds from foreign countries.
Critics said that a similar law approved in Russia, where all individuals and organizations receiving financial support from foreign countries are declared “foreign agents”.
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Georgia’s former minister for education affairs Ghia Nodia said that the law was likely to obstruct press freedom in a country where a large share of the press is controlled by the government.
He said that a large part of free media in the country gets support from abroad and the Government claims that it is just for the purpose of ensuring more transparency but the legislation was a measure towards repressing free media.
Member of Georgian parliament Khatia Dekanoidze said that Georgia has a very vocal civil society and rule of law” that gets technical support from the UN and European Union.
Georgia had also applied for European Union membership together with Moldova and Ukraine days after Moscow invaded Kyiv in February 2022.
