Governmental and civil society organizations of Georgia have decided to challenge the controversial foreign agents’ law at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The decision follows the constitutional court’s refusal to suspend the law.
It will again be a joint complaint in the ECHR filed by Many organisations. There will be 16 media houses, 120 civil society organisations and four individual people who will go to the ECHR to challenge the Foreign Agents law. Nona Kurdovanidze, the current Director of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) revealed this plan during a press conference on October 17, 2024.
According to him, we have taken this decision not for any personal interest but for the welfare of all the organisations working round the clock for human rights. At the same time besides suppressing independent media voices, the law will also divide society, which will be fatal for society.
These organisations work to safeguard the interests of every section of society. They have raised issues of environmental protection, judicial reforms, the fight against corruption, investigative journalism, the rights of people with disabilities, and protecting women and children from violence.
The complaint will take into account the European Convention rules and regulations, which has been violated with the implementation of the foreign agents law. Some of the provisions of the event that were violated are the right to protect private and family lifeunder article 8.
The plaintiffs will argue that the Foreign Agents law violates several rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. These include Freedom of assembly and association (Article 11), freedom of expression (Article 10), right to respect for private and family life (Article 8), prohibition of discrimination (Article 14), right to an effective remedy (Article 13), and the limitation on the use of restrictions on rights (Article 18).
Nona Kurdovanidze, while explaining the details of the move, added, “The adoption of Russian methods against the independent media houses is totally unfair and unacceptable. This not only makes it impossible for media to express their independent voice but also has the o undermine the other fundamental rights of Georgian people.”
While expressing disappointment in the constitutional court’s decision, Nona Kurdovanidze reaffirmed the organisation’s determination. She stated that with continued resistance, the law would be overturned.
