Surprisingly, the "Foreign Influence" law is modeled after the Russian law, given what Russia has done to Georgia - it's unbelievable that they took this path, - the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin (Democratic Party) said this in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where the debate is ongoing on the topic: "Laws against non-governmental organizations and other tools of repression directed against democracy."
As Cardin noted, it is disturbing that countries use legal systems against journalists, opposition politicians, human rights defenders and civil society.
"In recent years, we increasingly see that countries that we consider more democratic or partially free, apply such laws as a tool of repression. It is very worrying that democracies from Georgia to India to Turkey are using their legal systems against journalists, opposition politicians, human rights defenders and civil society.
For many years, the Republic of Georgia has been a bright spot in the former Soviet Union, but despite mass street protests this April, the government passed a "foreign influence registration" law that will take effect this fall.
Surprisingly, this law is modeled after Russian law, given what Russia has done to Georgia - it's unbelievable that they would go that route. This [law] allows the government to target non-profit [organizations] and activists. It is an attempt to intimidate and ultimately shut down civil society voices that disagree with the government.
The sponsors of the law in the ruling "Georgian Dream" party were very clear about their intentions, civil society and which actors they considered enemies.
"Congress, and this committee in particular, has a responsibility to take bold legislative steps to directly oppose the use of these laws and to support the brave activists who are committed to democracy," Cardin said.
