In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia published today, Commissioner Mijatović expresses concerns that the adoption of the draft law “On transparency of foreign influence” may have a serious chilling effect on the work of civil society organisations in Georgia.
“Such a legislative initiative raises a number of human rights concerns in the light of the Council of Europe standards on freedom of association and of expression. While transparency may be a legitimate concern, it should not be achieved to the detriment of the effective enjoyment of rights and freedoms by non-commercial organisations and media outlets and of the exercise of their legitimate activities”, says the Commissioner.
In this context, the Commissioner calls on the Parliament to reject this or any similar draft law and to unequivocally commit itself to fostering a diverse and vibrant civic participation in public affairs, as well as a conducive environment for the functioning of civil society organisations and human rights defenders in Georgia.