Georgia’s controversial Russia-style bill has been amended to allow penalties for private individuals if they do not provide certain information upon authorities’ request.
In the past weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting against the so-called ‘Russian law’ in Tbilisi, facing off with riot police and authorities. The bill requires civil society groups receiving more than 20 percent of their income from abroad to register as “organizations serving the interests of a foreign power” and to provide information about their activities upon authorities’ inquiries.
The EU has said the law is “incompatible with European values” and would compromise Georgia’s bid to become a member of the bloc.
Critics of the bill, which was put forward by the ruling Georgian Dream party, fear it will be used to silence NGOs and the media.
The obligation to provide information was also “secretly” extended to private individuals, critics discovered Friday. The bill does not specify what types of individuals, but these could include employees of a targeted organization, or those with knowledge of its activities.
According to the amendments, failure to provide the requested information can result in a fine of 5000 GEL (€1,670).
“The amendments had been added secretly during the second plenary session. We were not provided with the amended version during the committee hearings,” Nona Kurdovanidze, the chairperson of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, told POLITICO.
“What’s even worse,” she added, “is that the penalty will need to be paid even if an appeal is still being processed in court.”
The chairman of Georgia’s Parliament, Georgian Dream’s Shalva Papuashvili, said that the amendment had been voiced during the second plenary session but “NGOs were too busy shouting.”
Georgian civil society groups opposing the bill have pledged they will not comply if the new law is enforced. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili pledged to veto the bill, though her veto can be overridden by a simple majority in parliament.
After Tuesday’s vote, U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Jim O’Brien warned of potential sanctions.
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