Georgia: Ruling party proposes laws to criminalize foreign funding for civic activity
Ahead of the parliamentary vote on legislative amendments announced by the Georgian Dream ruling party, which aim to further silence dissent and tighten control over those who receive foreign support for political and other civic activity, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:
“The government’s proposed changes to the law on grants are highly damaging and signify Georgia’s further expansion of authoritarian practices to silence and criminalize dissent and entrench power. The amendments significantly broaden the definition of a grant to include any foreign funds or in-kind support for virtually anything that the government does not approve of, from political activism to analytical work and expert advice. If the law were to pass, no ‘grants’ will be allowed without the government’s express prior approval, and those who receive them otherwise risk being locked up.”