Ahead of a parliamentary vote on proposed legislative amendments by Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, Amnesty International warned that the changes would further restrict dissent and tighten government control over foreign-funded civic activity. Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International, stated that the amendments significantly broaden the definition of a “grant” to include any foreign funds or in-kind support for activities the government does not approve of, from political activism to expert analysis. If passed, receiving such funding without prior government approval could result in imprisonment.
The proposed laws aim to criminalize virtually all independent civil society work, political opposition, and public engagement outside government control. Amnesty International emphasized that accessing foreign funding and support is a fundamental right protected under international law and central to the functioning of civil society. The organization urged Georgian authorities to drop the proposals and align the country’s legislation with international human rights obligations, including the rights to freedom of association and expression.
The Georgian Dream party announced the legislative amendments on 28 January 2026, framing them as measures to prevent “financing of unrest, violence or revolutionary processes in Georgia from abroad.” In practice, the amendments would impose severe restrictions or effectively outlaw access to international funding or in-kind support for independent voices. The proposals are expected to be adopted when Parliament reconvenes on 3 February.
The amendments include requirements for prior government approval for a wide range of funding, salaries, consultancy fees, or other support linked to broadly defined “political activity.” Violations could carry criminal penalties of up to six years in prison, or up to 12 years in aggravated cases such as “money laundering.” The proposals also criminalize “external lobbying,” restrict political party membership for individuals working in foreign-funded organizations for eight years, and penalize the transfer of funds intended to “influence” political or public interests in Georgia.
These measures follow previous waves of repressive legislation targeting media, civil society, and political opposition, including laws on “foreign influence” that had already imposed restrictions on access to international funding, further consolidating government control over independent actors.
