Planned legal amendments aim to intimidate protesters, lawer

The Georgian government’s proposed amendments to the Administrative Offences Code are intended to intimidate protesters and discourage continued demonstrations, according to lawyer Lasha Tsutskiridze.

Speaking about the legislative initiative, Tsutskiridze said the amendments would tighten penalties for covering one’s face with masks or similar items during protests and introduce criminal liability for repeated disobedience to lawful police orders.

“These changes serve as an attempt to intimidate protesters so that they stop expressing dissent as they have been doing daily,” Tsutskiridze said. “We clearly see what’s happening - the new provisions targeting face coverings and repeated disobedience could also raise concerns about freedom of expression and opinion.”

Under the government’s proposal, penalties for certain protest-related offences are set to increase. Currently, blocking a road during demonstrations can lead to up to 15 days of administrative detention.