Police in Tbilisi make arrests and use tear gas at protest against "foreign agents law" – video

On the evening of 16 April, law enforcement officers in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi began to disperse a protest against the adoption of a bill "On the Transparency of Foreign Influence", which has drawn criticism from the West and the Georgian public.

Source: European Pravda, citing Echo of the Caucasus, a Georgia-related project of Radio Liberty

Details: During clashes, riot police pushed protesters out of the back entrance to the Georgian parliament.

Tear gas was allegedly used against the protesters. Some people were injured as a result, including Zurab Japaridze, leader of the opposition party "More Freedom for Georgia". Ambulances have arrived at the scene and first aid is being provided to the injured, the Rustavi TV channel reports.

Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that one special forces officer was injured during the protest and called on the demonstrators to disperse, otherwise "measures will be taken against them as provided by law".

The debate on the "foreign agents" law will continue in the Georgian parliament on 17 April. Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party are likely to approve the bill in the first reading at tomorrow's session.

Background:

• On 15 April, the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs held the first hearing of the draft law "On the Transparency of Foreign Influence" despite a wave of criticism from Georgia’s Western partners and outrage within Georgia itself.

• The parliamentary review has been accompanied by protests and subsequent detentions of demonstrators.

• Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has asked the Venice Commission to urgently provide an opinion on Georgia's draft law on the transparency of foreign influence.

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