Georgia's new laws are destroying independent civil society groups, says Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch report on Georgia
International human rights organisation Human Rights Watch has published a new report on Georgia, assessing what it describes as the government’s escalating pressure on independent civil society groups, media organisations and activists since 2024.
According to the report, legislation adopted over the past two years has significantly restricted the work of independent organisations and their access to funding.
The report, titled Georgia: New Laws Are Destroying Independent Civil Society Groups, says the Georgian government should stop treating independent civic activity as a threat.
Hugh Williamson, Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia director, said the Georgian government’s aim was to silence critical voices and dismantle the country’s independent civil society.
“The Georgian government’s goal is to silence critical voices and destroy the country’s strong, independent civil society, and it is making alarming progress towards that goal. It is creating a system in which independent organisations can no longer operate safely, maintain funding or provide support to the communities that have relied on them for years.”
According to the report, the government is exerting pressure on civil society organisations through tighter control over foreign funding and what it describes as politically motivated criminal prosecutions.
Human Rights Watch says the new laws place foreign funding under strict state control, introduce the stigmatising label of “foreign agent” and impose severe penalties on independent organisations and activists, including fines and prison sentences.
The organisation calls on the Georgian authorities to repeal legal measures that it says are designed to silence critical voices and to ensure an environment in which independent organisations, media outlets and activists can operate free from state interference.
Human Rights Watch also urges Georgia’s international partners to respond to developments in the country through sanctions and other measures, while stepping up support for independent Georgian organisations.
The report says the legislative campaign targeting civil society groups and independent media in Georgia has continued since 2024. According to Human Rights Watch, activists and human rights defenders have come under investigation over their cooperation with international organisations and media outlets, while the freezing of bank accounts has effectively halted the work of 12 non-governmental organisations.
To prepare the report, Human Rights Watch interviewed 15 Georgian activists, lawyers and NGO leaders. They said the current climate has led to increased self-censorship, staff departures, financial difficulties and a growing reliance on NGOs by members of vulnerable groups seeking assistance.
The organisation also reviewed the new legislation, how it has been enforced and related legal documents. It sought additional information from state authorities and, according to the report, received some responses from Georgia’s State Audit Office and the government.
The report examines in detail the 2024 Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence, which requires organisations receiving foreign funding to register as “organisations pursuing the interests of a foreign power”.
It also analyses the Law on the Registration of Foreign Agents, adopted in April 2025, which Human Rights Watch says further expands state oversight and applies to almost all organisations and individuals working with foreign partners.
The report also highlights amendments to the Law on Grants, under which foreign donors must obtain prior approval from the Georgian government before providing grants. Accepting foreign funding without such approval is now treated as a criminal offence.
Human Rights Watch says it is aware of several cases in which the government refused to approve grants. One involved a project to monitor Georgia’s 2025 municipal elections that was due to be funded by the British Embassy. According to the report, parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili publicly criticised the project and accused the embassy of financing “extremism, hatred and propaganda”.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Georgian government provided figures on the number of grant applications that had been approved, rejected or were still under review, but did not disclose which specific projects had been accepted or turned down.
The report also cites the findings of an unpublished study by the Social Justice Center based on interviews with 100 representatives of civil society organisations.
According to the study, 96% of the organisations surveyed were experiencing serious financial difficulties, while 94% had been forced to scale back their activities. Some had managed to retain only their core functions, while others had ceased operations altogether.
Human Rights Watch says the new restrictions forced the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association to suspend its free legal aid programme.
The report also highlights the impact on regional organisations. It says that while 114 civil society organisations were operating across Georgia in 2024, only 37 remained active in 2025, with many of them facing the risk of closure.
One activist working on disability rights told Human Rights Watch that her organisation had initially considered registering under the Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence, but changed its mind after learning that the Ministry of Justice required organisations to disclose beneficiaries’ personal and medical information.
The report also quotes the director of the queer feminist media platform Grlz Wave, who said the organisation had “shifted into self-censorship mode”, particularly in its coverage of LGBTQ+ issues.
Human Rights Watch report on Georgia
