Russian law is not Georgia’s choice!

We, the citizens of Georgia, strongly oppose the draft law initiated by parliamentary majority members on the Foreign Influence Agent, supported by the speaker of the Parliament and

other members of the parliamentary majority. We believe that attempts to adopt this Russian law are directed not only against free civil society organizations and critical media, but also the population of Georgia.

This law is intended to insecure: children and women being victims of violence, persons with disabilities, minorities, scientists, workers and young people; to leave without support socially

vulnerable families, farmers, miners, illegally displaced, illegally dismissed, homeless, and other people fighting for their rights;  and  not to  cover the voice of people living in highlands and other regions, who are able to inform  the society on their needs only through the local, independent media.

This law is a response to the hundreds of facts of violence, corruption, injustice and

selective justice that  we, the public organizations  independent media study and publicize.

After the adopting a similar law in Russia, many organizations refused to operate and closed. Those who continued to function became the victims of increased control, harassment and repressions against which we have been fighting for decades.

The adoption of this draft law will be an attack on the main Georgian values – the feeling of dignity, independence and civil solidarity. Besides, adoption of the law will seriously damage the country’s integration with Europe,  hindering Georgia from moving towards EU membership, as no such law  is enacted in any of  EU member countries. Moreover, the enforcement of the given law will not be possible without bringing inflective harm to the thousands citizens of Georgia.