On May 11th, 2024, roughly fifty thousand Georgians peacefully protested in the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, in response to a “foreign agents” bill that targets foreign investment and companies in Georgia. Many opponents see the bill as an opening for democratic backsliding and distancing from the West and are concerned about the implications for Georgia’s young democratic government. Proponents of the bill cite a need for greater transparency and a desire to limit civil society groups that may foster civic disobedience and political unrest. Many foreign leaders have expressed concern over the harsh limitations the bill may place on dissenting groups and the resulting governmental suppression of free speech and the media. Human Rights Watch has warned of the possible undemocratic methods of the bill and has criticized the violent police response to the peaceful Georgian protestors.

In a post on the social media Platform X, White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan stated “We are deeply alarmed about democratic backsliding in Georgia…Georgian Parliamentarians face a critical choice – whether to support the Georgian people’s EuroAtlantic aspirations or pass a Kremlin-style foreign agents’ law that runs counter to democratic values.” He reflects the sentiments of many who see the law as a mirror of Russian legislation that has targeted dissident voices in Russian politics. Sullivan notes the bill’s isolationist tendencies, which run counter to the public’s majority support for the joining of Georgia with the E.U. and U.S.-led N.A.T.O. 

As the pressure of the public’s backlash mounts, and the number of protestors increases, Georgia’s legislature should respond accordingly to their people’s calls for more democratic practices. The proposed legislation in Georgia raises concerns regarding its compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the country is a signatory. While international law permits some limitations on freedom of expression and association, Human Rights Watch argues that the “foreign agents” bill creates an undue restriction on these rights. Therefore, the government should be compelled to comply with the historical body of international law on the topic of free speech and association. Diplomatic pressure from foreign bodies on the ruling government, coupled with support for pro-democracy institutions within Georgia, will be of utmost importance if the legislature fails to comply with the appeals for the striking down of the bill.

This legislation was first introduced in 2023, by the Georgian parliament but was rescinded due to widespread reactive protests. This new bill, only marginally different from the 2023 version, will require any nongovernmental organizations and media groups that receive 20% or more of their annual revenue from foreign sources to register as an “organization serving the interest of a foreign power.” This title requires several burdensome reporting requirements, inspections, and administrative liability, that will serve to diminish the efficacy of many NGOs and media outlets that provide opposition opinions. The resulting decay of Georgian democracy would serve the Kremlin’s interest in annexing former Soviet states with Russia, evidenced by the current war in Ukraine and the 2008 invasion of Georgia by Russian forces.

The future of Georgia’s democracy currently rests on the decision regarding the enactment of this bill. If adopted, it will not only isolate Georgia from foreign support, but it will limit transparent media and weaken the efficacy of dissenting voices in Georgian politics. It will embolden Russia to continue its attempts at rebuilding the Soviet past. While Russia remains preoccupied with its invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent global backlash, powerful foreign nations need to curb the Kremlin’s efforts to diminish Georgia’s democratic autonomy. Supporting the people and protestors of Georgia, who desire a democratic home state, should be the goal of foreign intervention.