Georgian Dream’s New “Alt-Info Law” to Sabotage Georgia’s EU Candidacy

Leaders of the violent pro-Russian party Alt-Info Giorgi Qardava, Zurab Makharadze, Irakli Morgoshia, Shota Martinenko, and Konstantine Morgoshia are the authors of the bill. The bill was backed by at least 25 000 signees and presented to parliament on November 7, 2022, before the deputies who formally separated from the Georgian Dream had initiated what critics dubbed a Russian-sourced Law on “foreign agents”. 

“Russian law” required the nongovernmental organizations which are financially independent of the government to register as agents of foreign influence and sought to eradicate independent public organizations within the country. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, Joseph Borrell, stated directly that the enactment of the bill would be in conflict with EU norms and values. 

Despite the unprecedented international reprimand, the parliamentary majority passed the foreign agents law after accelerated processing, which triggered mass public protests. The government dispersed the protests using tear and suffocating gas, water cannons, and pepper spray. After the violent onslaught, the protesters smashed the vehicles of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and set them on fire. Because of relentless protests, the state was forced to retract the ‘Russian law’ on the second hearing.

The newly-registered bill authored by Alt-Info is geared against such gatherings and freedom of expression.

A new article will be added to the Georgian Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations which will ban public assembly and manifestation that centers around gender propaganda and/or involves the display of sexual orientation of any kind. Also, any gathering that involves religious discrimination, agenda that is offensive to religious views, contains war and violence propaganda, or serves to pour fuel on national, regional, religious, or social disagreements will also be banned.

If this law is adopted, the government will have legal leverage to declare any public gathering it doesn’t like illegal, and to fine the participants of the gathering for the amount of 3000 GEL or up to 25 days in prison for a first offense; 5000 GEL or up to 30 days if the offender is an organizer. In case of a repeated violation, a criminal case will be opened and the violator will be faced with up to 2 years in prison.

“The authorities will have the right to ban both a planned assembly and to demand the termination of the ongoing demonstration if it considers that it offends the religious stance of any group or serves as propaganda calling for war. These criteria are indefinite and subject to interpretation. Considering the current practice, it is obvious that the government will exploit the vagueness in its favor. Approving the draft bill in this form will unavoidably lead to violation of fundamental human rights (freedom of assembly and manifestation and freedom of speech and expression) protected by the Constitution of Georgia and the European Convention on Human Rights,” says lawyer Lado Kutateladze.

“As evident from the latest statements from the government, we should expect this bill to be used as a tool for sabotaging EU membership candidacy. We know that despite issues, there are positive signs regarding the granting of the candidacy, that’s if nothing substantial interferes with a prospect in the remaining months. Such laws are prohibited in the European Union. This law will be used for widespread suppression of activists,” says lawyer Giorgi Mshvenieradze and cites several examples:

• This law will imprison people who protest in the street;
• This law punishes gatherings and demonstrations in support of Ukraine against Russia;
• This law punishes holding rallies against the inflow of Russians into Georgia by imprisonment.

On May 2, Georgian Dream propaganda TV channels Imedi and Rustavi 2 prepared stories based on a study published by Gallup in February 2023, according to which LGBTQ people are most prevalent among young people. “The authors of the study write that this rate among teenagers is 7.2% and has doubled in the last 10 years. 7 months earlier, in June 2022, a study by the Williams Institute was published, according to which more than 1.6 million adolescents and adults between the ages of 13 and 17 in the United States identify as transgender. The research is being weighed in many countries of the world, including Georgia. In response to our question, the executive secretary of the ruling party says that the data shows the telltale signs of propaganda,” notes the author of the Imedi TV report and quotes Mamuka Mdinaradze's comment:

“Distinguishing protection of rights from propaganda is very important. We need to understand the difference between protecting LGBT rights and allowing gender propaganda. Regardless of views and identity, no one should be able to discriminate against another person, but we shouldn’t confuse this with condoning LGBT propaganda. As it turns out, reputable sources suggest that propaganda correlates with increased frequency”.

 Prohibition of LGBTQ propaganda by law was one of the main demands of the rally organized by Georgian Dream propagandist Giorgi Gachechiladze (a.k.a Utsnobi) on April 30. On May 2, MP from European Socialists, Fridon Injia, announced at the parliament session that he intends to propose the demands of the April 30 rally as a draft bill. Today, on May 3, Mamuka Mdinaradze said, Georgian Dream is not considering the adoption of Injia’s bill at this time.

Legislation with similar content is in force in Russia, which prohibits insulting religious views. Public actions that offend the views of believers, including in places of worship, are punishable by up to three years in prison. Propaganda or agitation aimed at inciting ethnic or religious hatred or discord, as well as the distribution or production and storage of literature of the same nature, shall result in criminal prosecution. "Promotion of non-traditional sexual relations" is also prohibited in Russia. The UN Human Rights Committee has found that such laws violate civil and political rights as stipulated in international conventions.

One of the authors behind the “Alt-Info Law”, Konstantine Morgoshia, writes that Georgian Dream will enact all the laws that Alt-Info demands through its satellite parties. “This news makes me very happy, better late than never, I have always said and I will say again, July 5 was the greatest victory of the Georgian people and the beginning of the end of liberalism in Georgia”.

On July 5 and 6, 2021, 53 media representatives were injured while performing their professional duties as a result of a mass attack by homophobic and violent groups in Tbilisi. On July 11, Lekso Lashkarava, the operator of TV Pirveli was found dead in his home. The cameraman was severely beaten by hate groups during the July 5 attacks; he received a concussion, fractured facial bones, and underwent surgery. The authorities did not arrest any of the instigators of the organized beating.