Transparency vs. Suppression: Georgian Legislation on Registration of Foreign Agents
In February 2023, unexpectedly, the Georgian “People’s Power” movement submitted draft bills, "On Registration of Foreign Agents" and "On Transparency of Foreign Influence." The ruling Georgian Dream party supported the initiative and on March 7 Georgian Parliament Passed the First Reading of the law amid protests.
The current development in Georgia is reminiscent of the crackdown on civil society in Russia in 2012 and Azerbaijan in 2014, where similar laws were adopted and civil society and independent media were gradually incapacitated. This led to the fortification of authoritarian rule in both Russia and Azerbaijan.
The Caucasus Edition team invited Georgian, Azerbaijani, and Russian speakers for a panel to discuss the potential repercussions of the law.