The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) conducted a legal analysis of the law on foreign agents adopted by the Georgian authorities.
“A law that defines civil society and the media as ‘organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign state’ simply for receiving foreign funding does not meet the strict requirements set out in international human rights law,” the opinion said.
The analysis compares the Georgian law with three initiatives from other countries. It is noted that when compared with the US FARA or the Australian foreign influence law, the fundamental difference lies in the scope and purpose.
“While these laws are intended to provide public registration for private companies or non-profit organizations directly engaged in advocacy or lobbying efforts on behalf of a foreign entity, this does not mean that all civil society groups or media outlets are foreign representatives simply because they receive financing from abroad,” the report said.
The OSCE called on the Georgian authorities to repeal the law and bring legislation into line with international standards.
