Georgian NGOs Reject Russian-Style Pressure, Condemn Anti-Corruption Bureau Demands
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, June 20, 2025
Dozens of Georgian non-governmental organizations have issued a joint statement denouncing what they describe as the enforcement of Russian-style laws and politically motivated pressure on civil society. The response comes after the Anti-Corruption Bureau demanded confidential information from several major NGOs.
"We do not and will not live by Russian rules," the statement declares.
The organizations expressed solidarity with their colleagues at Civil Society Foundation, Transparency International Georgia, Sapari, Academy of the Future, and the Economic Policy Research Center. These groups were reportedly approached by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on June 17 with demands for "comprehensive and confidential information."
According to the statement, "This demand is neither based on legal grounds nor legitimate interest. It represents a mechanism for political retribution aimed at suppressing critical voices."
The NGOs say the requested data includes sensitive information such as personal, banking, medical, and social details about their beneficiaries. These include women, children, victims of violence, minorities, and socially vulnerable individuals.
"Protecting them is our professional and moral obligation," the statement continues. "No one stands alone in this fight. This ideological and institutional persecution against civil society is a direct replication of the Russian model. We will not surrender Georgia's future-not to Ivanishvili's regime, not to Murusidze's court, nor to the authoritarian systems of Putin and Lukashenko."
The signatories state that the pressure on NGOs amounts to retaliation for their critical work and is designed to silence dissent. They emphasize their unity and resistance, saying, "We fight together-for each other, for our beneficiaries, and for a free Georgia."
The statement was signed by over 40 organizations, including the Media Development Foundation, Tbilisi Pride, Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, Human Rights Center, ISFED, Partnership for Human Rights, Europe Foundation, Democracy Research Institute, Civic Idea, IDFI, Green Alternative, and Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics.
Other groups joining the statement include Georgia's Court Watch, Georgian Reforms Association, Platform "Salam," Neo TV, Civic Advocacy Center, and Georgia's European Orbit, among others.
The NGOs urge the public and international partners to acknowledge the recent actions as part of a broader campaign of political retaliation and to support the protection of civic space in Georgia.
