Georgia: EU and Its Member States Should Take Urgent, Coordinated Measures to Respond to Georgia’s Crackdown on Civil Society and Human Rights Organisations

On 27 August 2025, the Georgian authorities froze the bank accounts of seven human rights and civil society organisations as part of a so-called "sabotage" investigation, claiming the groups had equipped protesters who committed "violent acts" against police in 2024. The Tbilisi City Court ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of the following organisations: International Society of Fair Elections and Democracy, Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Georgian Democracy Initiative, Union Sapari, Social Justice Center, Civil Society Foundation and Democracy Defenders.

The prosecutor's office has been carrying out investigations under several criminal code articles, including "sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravated circumstances, assisting a foreign organisation or an organisation under foreign influence in hostile activities, and financing actions against Georgia's constitutional order and national security." These articles carry penalties ranging from seven years to life in prison.

Earlier, in March 2025, the Georgian authorities froze the bank accounts of human rights organisations "Human Rights House Tbilisi" and "Shame Movement" along with three other civil society groups - "Nanuka's Fund", "Prosperity Georgia", and "Fund for Each Other 24/7" over similar charges.

The authorities blatantly misrepresent the organisations' legitimate human rights work and falsely claim that civil society groups used their funds to endorse and sponsor protests in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. The protests erupted in response to the widespread election manipulations in October 2024, and following the government's decision to suspend Georgia's EU accession negotiations a month later. The prosecutor's office points to the organisations' purchase of protest gear, such as medical supplies and face masks, special gas helmets, protective goggles, and pepper spray, as well as their support of protesters and their families by covering fines and providing free legal aid as basis for their "sabotage" investigation.

On 1 September, days after freezing their bank accounts, the prosecutor's office summoned several heads of the same non-governmental organisations to testify in the probe.

Since April 2024, the ruling Georgian Dream party has repeatedly introduced and adopted laws aimed at restricting the work of human rights organisations and independent media. The raft of legislative changes included the notorious law on foreign interference and anti-LGBT bills. In March 2025, the government adopted the Law on Registration of Foreign Agents (FARA), requiring individuals or organisations to register as foreign agents if they operate under the vaguely defined "influence" of, or receive funding from, a foreign principal and engage in "political activities" in the interests of this principal. Non-compliance may lead to criminalfines and/or to a maximum five-year prison sentence. The Anti-Corruption Bureau, the public agency in charge of FARA's implementation, and largely seen as loyal to the ruling party, has alleged that several leading Georgian non-governmental organisations, many of those whose bank accounts were frozen, had engaged in "political activities" under the scope of the law, and warned them of criminal liability for failing to register.

In April, the authorities also amended the Law on Grants, requiring foreign donors to obtain official governmental approval prior to distributing grants to local organisations. Receiving a grant without official approval results in a fine equal to twice the amount of the grant. The authorities further amended the law in June to expand the requirement for official consent to include "technical assistance" and "knowledge sharing."

The adopted laws and ongoing investigations are clearly aimed at criminally penalising and eradicating all dissent and nonconformity in the country, and go against Georgia's international legal obligations.

In addition, the Georgian authorities have repeatedly used excessive force and brutal violence against largely peaceful demonstrators protesting the government's decision to abort the EU accession negotiations. Riot police and informal violent groups associated with the authorities have also beaten opposition and independent journalists and interfered with their work with impunity. Although authorities launched some investigations into allegations of police abuse, they have not identified or prosecuted any law enforcement officials.

While failing to take effective steps to address serious allegations of police abuse, the authorities charged and convicted dozens of protesters on spurious criminal charges of using violence against law enforcement officials, sentencing some to lengthy prison terms.

International actors have a critical role to play in Georgia's human rights crisis. We therefore call on the EU and its member states to:

• In line with the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, publicly condemn the judicial and other harassment of Georgian human rights organisations for their peaceful and legitimate human rights work;
• Use all diplomatic and legal tools at their disposal to exert pressure on Georgian officials and members of the judiciary, prosecution and law enforcement, involved in human rights abuses, and prosecutions of human rights defenders and civil society activists.
• Follow up on their joint statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council session 59 by delivering a joint statement on human rights in Georgia during the 60th session (in the general debate under item 2 or 10), further highlighting the deteriorating human rights situation in Georgia, bringing heightened visibility to the systemic attacks against human rights defenders, and pressing the government of Georgia to change course;
• Take the lead to ensure that the forthcoming UN Item 10 resolution on Georgia mandates comprehensive OHCHR reporting to the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation across the entirety of the country;
• Mobilize collective efforts in invoking the OSCE Moscow Mechanism as a follow-up to the Vienna Mechanism triggered in December 2024; and
• Urgently overcome administrative blockages to provide additional funding to Georgian civil society and human rights organisations to help them withstand the immediate impact of the asset freezes and continue their important work.

Signatories:

1. Amnesty International
2. Araminta
3. Front Line Defenders
4. Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF)
5. Human Rights Watch
6. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
7. International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
8. Protection International
9. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders