Public Defender to Monitor Enforcement of New Foreign Agents Law
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani stated that Georgia's new foreign agents law, modeled after the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), should not be seen as inherently undemocratic. However, he pledged to closely monitor how the law is implemented for potential human rights violations.
"The legislation itself is American and, therefore, in my opinion, talking about its undemocratic nature is excessive," Ioseliani said in an interview with Georgian Public Broadcaster. He added that while the law may appear democratic in form, its enforcement in Georgia could present risks. "We will observe whether the implementation of this legislation in Georgia will cause restrictions or human rights issues for those subjects to whom this law applies," he said.
Ioseliani also pointed to the country's previous foreign agents law, the "Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence," passed in spring 2024. He noted that enforcement of that law has so far been limited and that concerns about its impact had been overstated.
The new legislation, passed by the ruling Georgian Dream party in a one-party parliamentary vote, came into force on May 31. It requires individuals and organizations classified as "agents of a foreign principal" to register in a state-maintained registry. Noncompliance can result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment or fines.
This is the third "Foreign Agents Law" initiated by Georgian Dream in the past three years and the second to be enacted. It will operate alongside the 2024 law, which remains in effect which has not been rigorously enforced.
