PACE Rapporteurs Urge Political Parties not to Adopt Draft Law on Foreign Agents
PACE rapporteurs on Georgia, Claude Kern and Edite Estrela urged Georgian political parties on February 16 not to support the draft law on foreign agents drafted by the “People’s Power” faction warning that it “would have a chilling effect if adopted.”
The rapporteurs also noted that the draft law “raises several concerns with regard to its compatibility with democratic and human rights standards.”
Earlier the same day, Ned Price, spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State, said: “we are deeply concerned about its implications for freedom of speech and democracy in Georgia.” He also noted that “the proposed law would stigmatize and silence independent voices of citizens of Georgia who are dedicated to building a better future for their communities.”
Representatives of the “People’s Power” faction, formed by the deputies who left “Georgian Dream” but remained in the parliamentary majority, announced on 14 February that they have drafted a bill on the activities of foreign-funded organizations and would officially register it in Parliament in the next few days.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)