Georgian authorities have adopted a series of laws that unjustifiably interfere with the right to peaceful assembly and are being used to suppress dissent, Human Rights Watch said today.

“Combined with abusive policing and steep fines, these measures violate Georgians’ right to peaceful protest, making dissent increasingly risky and leaving critics vulnerable to punitive measures.

Massive nationwide protests have swept Georgia following the ruling party’s November 2024 decision to abandon Georgia’s EU accession process. Authorities have responded to the protests with police violence, and local rights groups have documented hundreds of detentions on alleged administrative grounds and thousands of fines for alleged violations of protest-related rules. Together, this has created a hostile and punitive environment for peaceful protest.

Since November 2024, the ruling party has rushed multiple legislative amendments through the parliament, essentially criminalizing a wide range of protest-related actions integral to the peaceful exercise of the right to assembly”, the organization says.

According to the organization, Georgian authorities have enforced the new restrictions through arbitrary detentions and abusive administrative proceedings, often imposing sanctions equivalent to criminal penalties. Police have detained protesters for wearing masks, briefly stepping onto the road, or allegedly blocking traffic.

The combination of open intimidation along with arbitrary arrests and overwhelming fines has created a pervasive climate of fear around participation in peaceful assemblies, Human Rights Watch said.

“Prominent international bodies have warned that Georgia’s recent legislative changes fall far short of these standards. The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission found that the December 2024 amendments significantly undermine freedom of assembly, noting that vague provisions and harsh penalties risk creating a “chilling effect” on participation. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, in urgent opinions issued in March and November 2025, criticized the expanded detention powers and disproportionate sanctions, cautioning that the new measures could be used to silence or punish peaceful protesters and civil society activists for legitimate public engagement”, reads the article.