On July 16, 25 member countries of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), an international partnership promoting media freedom worldwide, issued a statement on the foreign agents law, adopted and enacted almost two months ago, expressing their “deep concern” about the deterioration of media freedom in Georgia.
“The recently adopted Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence poses a threat to the democratic fabric of Georgia,” the statement reads, stressing that labeling CSOs and media organizations that receive 20 percent of their funding from foreign sources as entities “pursuing the interest of foreign power” will affect them. The statement commends the CSOs and media organizations in Georgia for playing “a vital role in civic engagement, promoting human rights and good governance, and advocating for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.” It reads: “This “foreign influenced” label coupled with the potential for stringent financial fines and penalties will severely undermine their operations and have negative repercussions on freedom of expression.”
Stressing the importance of independent and critical journalism for a democracy, the statement says the law is “worrying” for the future of Georgia’s democracy, including the upcoming parliamentary elections in October. “Independent, critical journalism is an essential foundation of a free, inclusive and democratic society. Creating and maintaining an environment for civil society organisations and organisations that safeguard media freedom is at the core of democracy,” the statement emphasizes.
In addition, the signatory countries express their “deep alarm” on the continutious repression against civil society representatives, as well as journalists. “We condemn all intimidation and violence against the free press and civil society, which remain indispensable to an effective and stable democracy,” the statement says.
The undersigned members state that they “stand with the Georgian independent media and civil society organisations, and will continue to support their pursuit of a democratic future and aspirations for integration with European and Euro-Atlantic institutions.”
Below are the member countries of the MFC that have signed the statement:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States.
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