Georgia: International solidarity with Georgian civil society

More than forty-five human rights organisations from around the world, including FIDH and OMCT within the framework of the Observatory, signed a letter in solidarity with Georgian civil society, condemning the efforts of the Georgian government to introduce the law on the transparency of foreign influence.

As human rights defenders across the globe, we are deeply troubled by efforts of the Georgian government to stifle civil society voices through the introduction of the law “on the transparency of foreign influence”.

To our friends and allies in Georgia, please know that we stand with you as you stand up against your government’s attempt to adopt the law, which clearly targets civil society organisations and independent media. This attack on freedoms of speech and assembly, as well as on basic and fundamental rights for a democratic and pluralist society affects all of us. It is an attempt to dehumanise and stigmatise civil society activity, something that runs contrary to Georgia’s human rights commitments, as well as international human rights standards and values.

In some of our own countries we too are witnessing similar developments designed to curtail accountability and defence of human rights. This kind of legislation has led to reprisals, attacks, red-tagging, imprisonments, abductions and killings of human rights defenders, environmental activists, legal professionals, journalists, workers, community leaders and other civil society actors. It is disturbing to see the same risks now facing the people of Georgia who have been fiercely fighting for liberty, independence, freedom and democracy for the past 35 years.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Georgia. We greatly appreciate your fight for freedom and democracy and we acknowledge that the adoption of this law in Georgia will have implications for our countries too.

We call on the Georgian government to vote down the draft law and return to the reform agenda which is so much needed for Georgia’s continued leadership in democratisation and development.

As the Annual General Meeting of the Asian Development Bank takes place in Tbilisi in the coming days, we call on international financial institutions and other international partners of Georgia to publicly condemn this attack on human rights and democracy and publicly state their support to Georgian civil society and people of Georgia who demand democracy and human rights.