Civil society and human rights organizations in Georgia are facing increasing pressure from authorities, with shrinking civic space and growing legal restrictions threatening their work. Recently, the bank accounts of seven leading organizations were frozen, part of a broader campaign targeting and harassing civil society actors. The adoption of a new law criminalizing NGOs that receive foreign funding under the label of “foreign agents” has intensified the situation.
Two Georgian human rights defenders, Tamta Mikeladze, head of the Social Justice Center, and Tamaz Kirtava, project coordinator at the Georgian Young Lawyer’s Association (GYLA), shared their experiences and the challenges facing civil society in Georgia.
Tamta Mikeladze explained that her motivation to become a human rights defender stems from the deeply rooted economic inequalities in Georgian society. Since 2008, she has worked with the Social Justice Center, a leftist feminist organization that focuses on protecting the rights of vulnerable communities, including workers, displaced people, ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTI individuals, and women. The organization uses an intersectional approach, combining legal aid, advocacy, grassroots support, and solidarity networks to advance equality.
Tamaz Kirtava described his inspiration coming from a young fascination with human rights work in Georgia, which led him to pursue a career in human rights law. At GYLA, he monitors human rights violations, documents abuses including torture, and advocates for accountability and protection of civil liberties.
Both defenders emphasized the severe impact of Georgia’s new “foreign agents” law, which labels any organization receiving more than 20% of its funding from foreign sources as a foreign agent. This legislation, along with amendments to the Law on Grants, has created a hostile and criminally punitive environment for NGOs. Mikeladze’s organization has faced three separate proceedings, including inspections and demands for registration under the foreign agents law. Simultaneously, politically motivated investigations led to the freezing of their bank accounts, effectively paralysing their operations. Kirtava noted that the law exposes NGOs to up to five years of criminal charges for non-compliance, making it difficult for them to obtain grants, defend human rights, and maintain trust with the communities they serve.
The defenders described the bank account freezes as a deliberate attempt to intimidate civil society and target human rights defenders. Mikeladze warned that the rapid repression of civic space in Georgia is catastrophic for democracy, contrasting it with the gradual authoritarian shifts seen in other countries like Russia and Belarus. Kirtava added that the measures undermine Georgia’s pro-European aspirations and its democratic principles.
Despite the pressures, both Mikeladze and Kirtava remain committed to their work. Mikeladze draws hope from Georgia’s history of overcoming authoritarian regimes, emphasizing the resilience, creativity, and flexibility of her generation in adapting to new challenges. Kirtava highlighted the moral duty shared by human rights defenders and the continued courage of political prisoners and others fighting for democracy in Georgia.
Mikeladze stressed the importance of international solidarity and intervention, calling for political and diplomatic pressure on Georgian authorities to address the country’s human rights crisis. She also expressed optimism that the current challenges could catalyze deeper democratisation, forcing society to create new, conscious forms of social agreements and more resilient networks of civil engagement. Kirtava echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that rethinking, reorganizing, and reimagining civil society strategies are crucial for ensuring a future where human rights are defended and democracy can thrive.
