Do Not Overlook Georgia's Young Civil Society as Part of Europe

With the introduction of the controversial "foreign agent law" in May 2024, organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad are required to register as institutions "pursuing the interests of foreign powers." This law has significantly increased pressure on civil society organizations. In the lead-up to its implementation, civil society actors repeatedly organized mass protests, with young people playing a central role. The National Council of Youth Organizations of Georgia (NCYOG) also publicly criticized the proposed law and joined over 200 organizations in opposing the draft. These protests prominently featured pro-EU messages and numerous European flags, underscoring the alignment of Georgian civil society, especially the younger generation, with Europe. Despite these objections, which the government dismissed as "misguided youth," the law was passed. Protests were violently suppressed by police forces, leading to arbitrary arrests. Reports of intimidation and sanctions against citizens and students participating in protests and strikes have since increased. This trend poses a serious threat to civil society spaces and undermines fundamental values such as the rule of law, democracy, and human rights.

The "foreign agent law“ is modeled after Russian legislation, with similar measures already enacted or under discussion in countries like Azerbaijan, Hungary, and Slovakia. The Turkish government has also announced plans for a comparable law, reflecting a worrying trend of repressive legislation targeting civil society.

Following the parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 26, 2024, civil society has continued to protest the election results, which declared the pro-Russian party "Georgian Dream" the winner. Opposition parties accused the government of electoral fraud, and international election observers from the Council of Europe reported incidents such as double voting and vote-buying at several polling stations.

The Georgian government's decision to suspend the EU accession process until 2028 has sparked massive protests. In response, police forces repeatedly used tear gas and water cannons to disperse largely peaceful demonstrations. Offices of opposition movements and homes of activists were raided, including the headquarters of the youth organization of the opposition party "United National Movement" (UNM).

We stand in solidarity with Georgia's pro-European young civil society, which continues to fight for democracy and human rights despite facing repression.

Özge Erdoğan, Deputy Chairperson of the German Federal Youth Council: "Together with the European Youth Forum, we condemn the Georgian government's attempts to curtail civil society space and silence democratic voices. The Council of Europe must now take decisive action against this blatant democratic backslide in its member state, Georgia, which directly contradicts the core values of the Council of Europe.“