European Court registers complaint against Georgia’s controversial “Agents’ Law”

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has officially registered a complaint against Georgia’s law on Foreign Influence Transparency, the so-called Foreign Agents’ Law. The information was released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA).

The case was submitted on behalf of 16 media organizations, 120 civil society organizations, and four individuals. The plaintiffs argue that the law infringes on several rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights, including freedom of assembly (Article 11), freedom of expression (Article 10), privacy (Article 8), non-discrimination (Article 14), the right to effective legal remedies (Article 13), and limitations on rights (Article 18).

GYLA highlighted that the ECHR’s registration of the complaint directly challenges claims by government-affiliated media and ruling party politicians, who previously reported that no such complaint had been filed.

The law, passed by Parliament on May 28 despite significant protests and opposition from international partners, has led to a partial suspension of EU integration efforts and halted some foreign assistance to Georgia. Although the law is also being challenged in Georgia’s Constitutional Court, the court allowed it to remain in effect while proceedings are underway.

The law on Foreign Influence Transparency is also labeled as a “Russian law” by domestic actors, allegedly impeding the country’s European integration. The law obliges local NGOs and media organizations to register as pursuants of foreign influence if they receive more than 20 percent of their incomes from abroad. Failure to register voluntarily will result in the government registering the organizations against their will, along with fines of up to 25,000 GEL.