Tbilisi introduces criminal liability for failure to comply with legislation on foreign agents
Amendments have been made to the Georgian Criminal Code regarding the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, also known as the Law on Foreign Agents. According to the amendments, failure to comply with it will result in a fine or imprisonment for up to 5 years. The exact amount of the fine has not yet been determined.
The explanatory note to the amendments emphasizes that the purpose of introducing criminal liability is to “ensure the effective fulfillment of obligations” prescribed by this law.
On February 24, the ruling party of Georgia registered a new bill on foreign agents, which is a direct analogue of the current US law FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act). The so-called “American” version of the law provides for the possibility of obtaining the status of “foreign agent” not only by non-profit legal entities with foreign financing, but also by everyone, including individuals. For failure to fulfill obligations, a person may face criminal liability.
Let us recall that on August 1 last year, the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" came into force in Georgia. Its adoption caused mass protests in the country and a storm of criticism from the West. Opponents of this initiative claimed that the Georgian law is an analogue of the Russian law and contradicts democratic values. The law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" provides for registration in a special registry and the submission of reports for NGOs and media outlets that receive more than 20% of their income from abroad.
