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Front News Georgia
The Council of Europe has issued an Opinion on the Law of Georgia ‘Foreign Agents Registration Act’, warning its implementation would cause “grave and unjustified damage” to civil society and undermine fundamental rights guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Adopted by the Georgian Parliament on April 1, the law requires NGOs and other organisations receiving foreign funding to register as “foreign agents” and comply with extensive disclosure and reporting obligations.
According to the Opinion, many of the Act’s provisions fail to meet the “prescribed by law” standard, raising doubts about their legality and legitimacy. It highlights concerns over restrictions on NGOs seeking foreign support, excessive obligations to disclose personal data, broad powers to demand supplementary information, heavy record-keeping requirements, and disproportionate penalties.
The Council of Europe concluded that these measures are not “necessary in a democratic society” and directly conflict with Georgia’s international commitments. It called the law “entirely inappropriate” and recommended its repeal, urging Georgian authorities to refrain from enforcing it.
