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Georgia enacts controversial ‘foreign agent’ law despite large-scale protests

JURIST

Georgia enacted a controversial “foreign agent” bill on Monday despite large-scale demonstrations against the law and international opposition. The draft law was first announced on February 14, 2023. However, the bill was revived in 2024, which resulted in mass protests in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.

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Germany designates Georgia and Moldova as ‘safe countries of origin’

JURIST

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet recognized the Eastern European countries of Georgia and Moldova as “ safe countries of origin ” on Wednesday in an effort to reduce irregular migration. The move comes a week after Scholz’s government approved a draft law aimed at modernizing Germany’s nationality law.

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Protests erupt in Georgia capital following endorsement of ‘foreign agent’ bill

JURIST

Protests erupted in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi Wednesday after Georgia’s parliament endorsed a “foreign agent” bill. Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs characterized Wednesday’s gathering as “the development of a peaceful protest into violent action.”

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Georgia’s criminal justice system is being used to suppress protests, activists say

JURIST

Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Denis Krivosheev said on Monday that the sentences handed down to participants in May protests against the law on “foreign influence” in Georgia, demonstrate the government’s brutality against the opposition, calling them a “parody of justice.”

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UN rights chief: Georgia ‘foreign agents’ law undermines freedom of expression

JURIST

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stated on Wednesday that Georgia’s newly passed foreign agents bill “undermines the freedoms of expression and association.” This, according to Türk, will undermine and curtail the rights of freedom of expression and association in Georgia.

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Georgia parliament adopts new consumer protection law

JURIST

Maka Botchorishvili, Member of Georgian Parliament and EU Integration Committee Chair had said earlier, during the first reading of the bill that: The Association Agreement between Georgia and the European Union stipulates commitments, which include the regulation of consumer policy at the legislative level.

Laws 104
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Georgia controversial ‘foreign agent’ bill passes first reading in Parliament

JURIST

The bill requires entities in Georgia receiving over 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents, which would include most civil society and media organizations. In March 2023, the Georgian government was forced to unconditionally withdraw a similar draft bill during its second reading.

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