Georgia’s New Law: Can Russian Influence Be Eliminated?

Editorial

15:03 JST, June 7, 2024

There is a growing sense of alarm both inside and outside of Georgia as the former Soviet republic has enforced a new law, which is similar to a bad one used by Russia to suppress opposition forces.

The new law should be carefully applied so that it does not lead to the suppression of human rights.

Georgia’s new law on “agents of foreign influence” perceives media and nongovernment organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad as de facto spies and regulates them. The law requires such targeted organizations to register as “foreign agents.” If they violate the law, they will be fined.

In an extraordinary development, the foreign agent bill, which had been passed by the parliament under the leadership of the pro-Russian........

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