The NGO Amnesty International stated in a report that the Georgian government must stop defamation campaigns against independent media and journalists, civil society leaders, opposition politicians, and other activists.
In its report, “Georgia: Anatomy of Repression – 500 Days of Protest, Crackdowns, and Resilience,” Amnesty International provides recommendations on various issues for both the Georgian authorities and the EU and international partners.
Among the recommendations regarding the use of disinformation as a tool is a call for the Georgian authorities to end defamation campaigns, investigate all such cases, and pay compensation.
“In cases where such defamation has led to harassment, property damage, physical assaults, violation of the presumption of innocence, or has affected judicial proceedings, all victims must receive full compensation,” the report states.
Amnesty International also emphasizes that the Georgian authorities must ensure that all public officials, including members of the government and parliament, refrain from participating in, amplifying, or supporting disinformation campaigns.
“The abuse of investigations into funding sources and tax reporting as tools to pressure and discredit the media must stop,” the authors write.
Amnesty International calls on the EU, the Council of Europe, and other international partners to increase support for non-governmental organizations, human rights defenders, and the media.
The organization also calls on the Georgian government to repeal the law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence,” similar to the “Foreign Agents Registration Act,” as well as amendments to the law “On Grants.” In addition, Amnesty International calls on the government to:
- repeal any regulations requiring prior authorization to receive funding from foreign or international sources;
- unblock the bank accounts of all non-governmental organizations that were frozen due to criticism of the authorities or receipt of foreign funding, and drop all related charges against them;
- repeal amendments to the laws “On Assemblies and Demonstrations” and the Code of Administrative Offenses;
- repeal amendments to the law “On Broadcasting” that ban foreign funding of media.
Amnesty International emphasizes that the Georgian authorities must thoroughly investigate allegations of unlawful use of force during protests, including the use of tear gas, water cannons, and batons.
It is also recommended to:
- ensure full compliance by police with national and international legislation regulating the use of less-lethal weapons;
- immediately ban the addition of any chemical irritants to water cannons;
- introduce a moratorium on their use during civil demonstrations until an independent investigation into all cases of their use during the 2024 and 2025 protests is completed;
- cooperate with potential international investigations into the use of chemical substances against demonstrators;
- disclose the full composition of all substances used, independently of any investigations;
- ensure a prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into allegations of torture and ill-treatment of detainees during the 2024 and 2025 protests;
- create an independent oversight and investigative body with real powers.
Amnesty International also calls on the EU and international partners to impose an embargo on the supply of any police equipment to Georgia, including less-lethal weapons, surveillance technology, and transport, pending the completion of independent investigations.
The NGO calls for an investigation to be initiated within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) regarding allegations of the use of chemical substances, and to demand cooperation from Georgia.
The report also contains recommendations regarding the use of the judicial system as a tool of pressure. Here, Amnesty International calls on the Georgian authorities to conduct an independent review of all criminal convictions handed down against demonstrators and activists since April 2024, and demands that detainees, as Amnesty International points out, be released unless there are substantiated charges against them.
The NGO also called for a review of all fines imposed in 2024–2026 for “violations during demonstrations,” the restoration of free public access to courts and judicial hearings, and the lifting of the ban on photography and video recording.