Georgia, 63 arrested for protests in opposition to Russian-style legislation. Opposition chief overwhelmed | EUROtoday

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In Georgia, 63 protesters had been arrested throughout nightly demonstrations between Tuesday and Wednesday, after police fired tear fuel and rubber bullets at 1000’s of pro-EU demonstrators opposing a controversial “foreign influence” legislation that the critics say it’s just like the Russian legislation used in opposition to the opposition. The protesters are difficult the legislation promoted by the ruling Georgian Dream occasion, which can drive all organizations, media and different entities that obtain at the very least 20% of their funding from overseas to register as “agents of foreign influence”.

The Caucasian nation has been gripped by anti-government protests since April 9, after the ruling occasion reintroduced the invoice, seen as opposite to Tbilisi's aspirations to affix the European Union. Riot police used tear fuel and rubber bullets in opposition to protesters. Several journalists had been focused, together with an AFP photographer who was hit with a truncheon regardless of being clearly recognized as a reporter. MP Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of jailed former president Mikheïl Saakachvili's United National Movement, the principle opposition occasion, was severely overwhelmed and needed to be handled. Local tv stations broadcast pictures displaying his face scarred by the blows. The Interior Ministry mentioned police had made a “legitimate” use of drive as a result of the demonstration had “turned violent” and mentioned 63 folks had been arrested for “disobeying the police” and committing acts of violence.

Borrell, «use of drive in opposition to demonstrators unacceptable»

The use of drive in opposition to protesters in Tbilisi is “unacceptable”. The High Representative for European Foreign Policy Josep Borrell wrote this in X, commenting on the repression of protests in Georgia in opposition to the legislation on international brokers. “I strongly condemn the violence in opposition to protesters in Georgia who had been peacefully demonstrating in opposition to the Foreign Influence Act. Georgia is a candidate nation for EU membership, I ask its authorities to ensure the proper of peaceable meeting. The use of drive to suppress it’s unacceptable.”