Citizens Rally Near Parliament Building as Discussions Begin over Foreign Agents’ Law
Citizens have gathered to hold a rally near the parliament building in protest against the Russian-style so-called Foreign Agents Law as the parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee begins discussing the bill. The demonstrators are holding banners reading “No to Russian law”, “This law is a big wall between Georgia and EU”, “There is a Vi-Rus in Georgia”, “No to Russia, Yes to EU” and others. Protesters unfurled a giant EU flag near parliament.
The Speaker of the Parliament had on April 14 banned the representative of the online media from entering the building and covering the proceedings. On April 15 the Journalists’ Charter of Georgia made a statement calling on the Parliament to reject discriminatory practices against online media and to allow them to participate in the committee discussion scheduled for April 15 in the Parliament.
The Charter notes in its statement that there is an exceptionally high public interest in the discussion on the “Russian law” and calls upon the Parliament of Georgia to respect the right of the public to be informed about the ongoing discussions in the Parliament “on issues of vital importance to them.” The Charter appeals “to allow the journalists perform their professional duties.”
Meanwhile, there are reports that police reinforcements are being mobilized in the vicinity of the parliament building.
The demonstrators are chanting: “Russians!”, “No to Russian law!” , “Slaves!”
A larger protest rally is planned for 19:00 local time today near the parliament building.
This news was updated at 12:25 to include the Journalists’ Charter statement.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
