Riot police assembled before dispersing the crowds protesting\u00a0controversial legislation passed on the first reading last week in Tbilisi, Georgia \u00a9 Onnik James Krikorian 2023<\/i><\/p>\n
If there’s one thing Georgians have a habit of doing above all else it’s protesting \u2013 and last week was no exception. Public outrage at the passing of controversial legislation on ‘foreign agents’ saw thousands take to the streets outside the parliament building on Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue. Even so, despite having covered pretty much every major demonstration here since 2012, I initially decided not to go down. Too much work focused now on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and no desire to be tear-gassed again.<\/p>\n
However, as soon as the riot police were deployed on the first evening it became clear that I had to, including the next day. Anyway, Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa has since published some of my photographs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nFollowing two nights of protests that saw riot police use tear gas and water cannon, the Georgian government announced that it has withdrawn controversial legislation that critics say would set back democratic development in the country and reverse the country\u2019s stated policy of joining the European Union.<\/em><\/p>\n
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\u00a0The law that passed its first reading on 7 March would make non-governmental organisation, including media, obliged to register as \u2018foreign agents\u2019 if the amount of funding from abroad exceeded 20 percent of their budgets. The legislation has been compared to a similar 2012 passed in Russia that stifled civil activism in the country. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
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It is for this reason that critics of the bill have labelled it the \u2018Russian law.”<\/em><\/p>\n
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Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the granting of EU candidate status to Moldova and Ukraine, Georgia\u2019s own application is currently under considerations. The opposition claims that the passage of the law on foreign agents would set back the country\u2019s aspirations for EU membership year or even derail it. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
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\u00a0Now all eyes will be on what happens next. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The photo story is available in English here<\/a> and in Italian here<\/a>. The Caspian Post also used an image of mine for its social media streams.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]
Riot police used tear gas and water cannons tonight to disperse thousands gathered outside the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi. The law they are protesting would require NGOs receiving more than 20% of funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents.”\ud83d\udcf7@onewmphoto<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QUqC5xqV0O<\/a><\/pee>\u2014 The Caspian Post (@thecaspianpost) March 8, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>