We, the representatives of Ukrainian society and independent civil society organizations, are watching with pain the events in Georgia that have erupted as a result of the current government's persistent efforts to pass a law on "foreign agents" in the Georgian parliament.
The law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" adopted by the Georgian parliament in the first reading on April 17, which has disturbing similarities to the Kremlin's law on foreign agents, has already brought tens of thousands of protesters to the Georgian streets. Voting for this law in the second reading on May 1 further sparked public outcry. During this time, security forces used brutal force against the protesters, mass arrests began, and many activists were imprisoned.
The next stage of voting (the third reading) is due to take place in the coming weeks. This law is being lobbied in Georgia by the largest party in the Georgian parliament, Georgian Dream, whose leader is already threatening to override the presidential veto if the law is not signed by the president. Georgia is facing the threat of the establishment of a dictatorship and the dismantling of the country's European integration course, as such a law, which has much in common with Russian approaches, contradicts the principles and norms of European law and the democratic world.
As the events in Georgia unfold unpredictably and may become even more dramatic, we call on the international community, organizations, and governments to stand firmly in defense of Georgian sovereignty and human rights, which are being abused by the current Georgian authorities. Ukrainians do not need to be told who the main beneficiary of these events is — it is the Putin regime, which acted in a similar scenario in Ukraine.
We express our full solidarity with the Georgian people in their honest struggle against the intentions to swallow up a free Georgia with an authoritarian copy of the "Russian world."
You can sign the statement by this link.
List of signatories:
01. PEN Ukraine
02. Centre for Civil Liberties
03. Internews Ukraine
04. UkraineWorld
05. Institute of Mass Information
06. ZMINA
07. Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities (Vaad) of Ukraine
08. The Congress of National Communities of Ukraine
09. Centre for Russian Studies
10. National Interests Advocacy Network ANTS
11. Resilient Ukraine
12. Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI”
13. Truth Hounds
14. Kharkiv Regional Foundation “Civil Alternative”