Protesters Clash in Tbilisi Over ‘Foreign Agent’ Law: Updates on Georgia Demonstrations

2024.04.17 Wednesday Posted at 11:25 JST

(CNN) Protesters and police clashed on the 16th in Tbilisi, the capital of former Soviet Union Georgia, over the hotly debated “foreign agent” law. The bill, which is being debated in the Diet, has been criticized by opposition parties and Western countries.

The bill has been the subject of criticism and has been called the “Russian law,” comparing it to laws used by the Russian government to suppress dissent. The ruling Georgian Dream party withdrew the bill last year after a series of protests, but has now re-introduced it to Parliament.

The bill would require organizations that receive funding from foreign countries to register as “foreign agents,” and noncompliance would be subject to fines. Human rights groups also criticized the content, saying it aimed to restrict basic freedoms.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili posted on social media on the 16th, “Mass protest against Russian laws in Tbilisi for the second night in a row.” “The request of the authorities has been pushing through ​​​​This bill against the will of the people and over the objections of our partners is an open encouragement and a strategy of Russian instability,” he said, adding that if the bill is sent to the president , he said he would veto.

The ruling Georgia Dream party, which is pushing the bill, has a majority in parliament and can override the president’s veto.

A video posted by protesters on Telegram shows the police trying to get protesters out of the area around the Capitol. The police appeared to be grabbing protestors by their clothes and throwing water on them.

The Ministry of the Interior said at least one of its staff was injured in the clashes on the 16th.

The day before, a scuffle broke out in parliament. Local TV stations showed footage of the ruling party leader being punched in the face by an opposition lawmaker, followed by a scuffle involving several members.