The News in Brief
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Legal Affairs Committee Endorses Foreign Agents Law in Second Reading, 14 Opposition MPs Expelled
The Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament endorsed the draft law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" during its second reading. Chairman Anri Okhanashvili turned off the microphones of opposition MPs, issued warnings, and expelled 14 opposition MPs.
Okhanashvili also expelled representatives of several non-governmental organisations from the session. The committee chairman first expelled the parliamentary secretary of Transparency International - Georgia, Lika Sajaia, and followed by the head of the Journalism Resource Center, Natia Kuprashvili.
Sajaia attempted to inquire why an organization funded from Europe was perceived as more threatening than the one financed by Russia. In response, Okhanashvili turned off her microphone.
Okhanashvili silenced Natia Kuprashvili, the head of the Journalism Resource Center, by cutting off her microphone abruptly. Subsequently, he expelled her from the venue, accusing her of breaching regulations.
Deputies Iago Khvichia, Ana Natsvlishvili, and Paata Manjgaladze left the session in protest.
Russian Occupation Forces Illegally Detain Georgian Citizen
The representatives of the Russian occupation forces illegally detained a Georgian citizen in the vicinity of the occupied village of Disevi, as reported by the State Security Service. According to the agency, the detained individual is a resident of Gugutiantkari village.
According to the State Security Service, upon receiving information about the incident, they activated the "hotline" operated by the EU Monitoring Mission.
Information about another instance of illegal detention was reported to the co-chairs of the international discussions in Geneva and to international partners.
"All available mechanisms have been activated to secure the release of the illegally detained Georgian citizen as soon as possible.The responsibility for all destructive actions committed in the occupied territories of Georgia, as well as along the occupation line, rests with the occupying power of Russia," as stated in the information distributed by the agency.
Eight citizens of Georgia are currently in the occupied Tskhinvali prison and pre-trial detention center, accused of illegally crossing the "border".
Legal Affairs Committee Endorses Foreign Agents Law in Second Reading, 14 Opposition MPs Expelled
Okhanashvili also expelled representatives of several non-governmental organisations from the session. The committee chairman first expelled the parliamentary secretary of Transparency International - Georgia, Lika Sajaia, and followed by the head of the Journalism Resource Center, Natia Kuprashvili.
Sajaia attempted to inquire why an organization funded from Europe was perceived as more threatening than the one financed by Russia. In response, Okhanashvili turned off her microphone.
Okhanashvili silenced Natia Kuprashvili, the head of the Journalism Resource Center, by cutting off her microphone abruptly. Subsequently, he expelled her from the venue, accusing her of breaching regulations.
Deputies Iago Khvichia, Ana Natsvlishvili, and Paata Manjgaladze left the session in protest.
Russian Occupation Forces Illegally Detain Georgian Citizen
According to the State Security Service, upon receiving information about the incident, they activated the "hotline" operated by the EU Monitoring Mission.
Information about another instance of illegal detention was reported to the co-chairs of the international discussions in Geneva and to international partners.
"All available mechanisms have been activated to secure the release of the illegally detained Georgian citizen as soon as possible.The responsibility for all destructive actions committed in the occupied territories of Georgia, as well as along the occupation line, rests with the occupying power of Russia," as stated in the information distributed by the agency.
Eight citizens of Georgia are currently in the occupied Tskhinvali prison and pre-trial detention center, accused of illegally crossing the "border".