The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights intends to intervene as a third party in the case concerning the Georgian equivalent of the FARA law. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has already granted the corresponding request, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) reports.
According to the organization, proceedings in this case were initiated before the ECHR in 2025 on behalf of six applicants—three non-governmental organizations and their leaders.
The applicants are challenging the law “On Registration of Foreign Agents” (the Georgian FARA), arguing that it restricts the activities of civil society and independent media. GYLA’s complaint notes that the actual purpose of the law is to suppress, discredit, and persecute independent organizations and media, including through the use of criminal liability mechanisms.
The organization emphasized that the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights had already participated in another ECHR proceeding concerning the so-called law on foreign influence. In the observations submitted to the court, the Commissioner drew attention not only to the law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” but also to the law “On Registration of Foreign Agents” (FARA).
According to the Commissioner’s assessment, both laws force civil society organizations to register as “organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign power” or “agents of a foreign principal,” which restricts the ability of human rights defenders to exercise their freedom of expression and freedom of association.
The document also notes that the situation is exacerbated by an aggressive campaign by the authorities and pro-government groups aimed at discrediting civil society organizations and excluding them from the decision-making process. In the Commissioner’s view, such organizations are often portrayed as “enemies of the state” or “enemies of the Georgian people,” and their foreign funding is used as an argument against their activities.
In addition, GYLA recalls that on February 2, 2026, the Commissioner issued a separate statement sharply criticizing legislative changes concerning the law “On Grants” and other regulatory acts. He noted that these changes restrict the activities of the civil sector and called on the Georgian authorities to abandon legal mechanisms that hinder the free work of public organizations.
The ECHR has given the Commissioner until August 31, 2026, to submit his position on the case.
GYLA stated that it will continue strategic litigation challenging legislation that restricts civil society activities and will regularly inform the public about the progress of the case.
