Amidst protests outside the legislative building and a boycott by opposition members, the Georgian Parliament passed a contentious foreign transparency bill in its first reading on Wednesday.

The bill, reintroduced by the ruling party, seeks to require the registration of non-commercial entities and media outlets acting on behalf of foreign powers, especially those receiving over 20 percent of their income from abroad. The vote, which saw 83 MPs out of the 150-member parliament in favor, incited opposition demonstrations, leading Speaker of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili to expel several members from the hall.

Protests outside the parliament have been ongoing for several days, with recent social media and news footage depicting alleged instances of security forces using physical force against both demonstrators and journalists. Reports indicate that the dispersal of the rally was sudden, resulting in confrontations between security personnel and protesters. Additionally, during an April 16 rally near the Parliament in Tbilisi, special forces reportedly deployed an unidentified substance against demonstrators at one of the building's entrances.

On April 16, the Ombudsman released a statement condemning the Ministry of Internal Affairs' use of force against rally participants starting from 22:00. According to Radio Liberty, the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the administrative detention of 18 individuals during the April 16-17 Tbilisi rally, providing limited information.

The Public Defender's office reported physical injuries among the detained individuals. Despite objections from Georgia's international partners and organizations, the ruling party insists that the bill is in line with European standards.

In March 2023, following widespread protests and international criticism, the parliamentary majority withdrew the Foreign Agents bill, promising not to reintroduce it. However, on April 3, 2024, the Georgian Dream party reintroduced the bill to parliament. 

The revised version replaces the term "agent of foreign influence" with "organization aligned with interests of a foreign power."