Since the reintroduction of the draft law on Foreign Agents, the streets of Tbilisi have been taken over by continuous mass rallies with the slogan “Yes to Europe, No to Russian Law”, some of which have spontaneous, without the organizers announcing the rallies beforehand. There are noticeable large number of youths rallying – pupils, students, young adults – who have been blocking Rustaveli Avenue (where the Parliament of Georgia is located) several days in a row. The Georgian Gen-Z have persisted in rallying every day, even swearing a solemn oath to defend Georgia’s European choice.
On April 3, the parliamentary majority leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mamuka Mdinaradze, announced the reintroduction of the draft law on foreign agents, which was dropped last year after the massive rallies on March 7-9. According to Mdinaradze, the content of the bill remains the same, the only change is in the title: the word “agent” in it has been removed and the title has been replaced with “Organization Pursuing the Interests of a Foreign Power”. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the civil society and opposition within the country and from Georgia’s international partners. The bill has already been passed in the first hearing.
What began as protests solely against the Foreign Agents Law has now taken on a wider dimension, with demonstrators also protesting recent amendments to the Tax Code and a Russian FSB-linked conference held at the Tbilisi Palace Hotel.
Live Blog (All times are local):
Tuesday, April 23
Popular protests against the reintroduced Foreign Agents Law continued for the ninth day in a row. aT 19:00 citizens of all generations gathered in front of the Georgian Parliament and marched to the EU Delegation office. On their way, the demonstrators came across with ruling GD’s spin-off People’s Power MP Davit Kacharava and confronted him about the bill.
April 24, 9th day of protests. “We want the return of 20% [Georgia’s occupied territories], not of the Russian law,” a protester’s sign reads.
April 24, 9th day of protests. People march towards the EU Delegation Office in Tbilisi.
April 24, 9th day of protests. March against Foreign Agents Bill.
April 24, 9th day of protests. People march towards the EU Delegation Office in Tbilisi.
April 24, March arrives at the EU Delegation office in Tbilisi/Photo Anano Asatiani
April 24, March arrives at the EU Delegation office in Tbilisi/Photo: Anano Asatiani
To be updated…
Also Read:
- 22/04/2024 – Popular Protests Against Agents Law Continue for Eighth Day in a Row
- 21/04/2024 – Popular Protests Continue against Foreign Agents’ Law
- 20/04/2024 – Protests against Foreign Agents Law Continue in Tbilisi
- 18/04/2024 – Third Day of Protest Rallies Against Foreign Agents’ Law: Recap
- 17/04/2024 – Photo Story | Riot Police Use Pepper Spray to Break Up Protest Against “Foreign Agents Law,” Arrest Protesters
- 15/04/2024 – Legal Issues Committee Endorses Russian Law Amid Massive Popular Protest
- 15/04/2024 – Citizens Rally Near Parliament Building as Discussions Begin over Foreign Agents’ Law
- 10/04/2024 – Photo Story │’Yes to Europe, No to Russian Law’ – Rally Against Foreign Agents Bill
- 08/04/2024 – Activists Hold Rally Against Foreign Agents Bill