Georgian riot police use tear gas and water cannons against ‘foreign agent’ bill protesters

Riot police and protesters clashed violently in Tbilisi in the early hours of Wednesday over the progression of a “foreign agent” bill according to local independent outlet Paper Kartuli.

Tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and pepper spray were used against crowds on the 23rd day of protests over the proposed law, which opponents describe as a Russian-inspired clampdown on media freedom.

At least 63 protesters were arrested, while the leader of Georgia’s largest opposition party Levan Khabeishvili shared an image to X of his face bruised after being beaten by police.

The controversial bill has already received initial backing from Georgian MPs and is expected to be approved by the ruling party Georgian Dream and its allies in a second vote on Wednesday.

The bill would require organisations receiving more than 20% of funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents”. Human Rights Watch criticised the initial proposal, concluding that the bill would “impose additional onerous reporting requirements, inspections, and administrative and criminal liability, including up to five years in prison for violations”.

The law may jeopardise Georgia’s bid to join the European Union, which is supported by 79% of Georgians. The organisation criticised the initial bill proposal as “incompatible with EU norms and values” and the President of the European Council Charles Michel said on 16 April that the bill would take “Georgia further away from the EU and not closer”.