(2 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THE TITLE OF IRAKLI KOBAKHIDZE HAS BEEN CORRECTED AT 2115 GMT++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi – 2 May 2024
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various of rally in front of Parliament, people waving flags and holding signs
2. Close of protester holding sign reading (English): "You think you can torture us? We are ballet dancers"
3. Rally
4. Speaker addressing rally
5. Speaker addressing rally UPSOUND (Georgian): "I think that the people who support this law deserve to be sanctioned by us"
6. Protesters applauding, holding signs
7. Various of protesters marching
8. Traffic jam
9. Man writing on wall (English): "No to Russia"
10. Various of protesters blocking main road conjunction
11. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) Nia Gugava, protester:
"It’s already been many days since we in Georgia have been protesting the Russian law. Our government tries its best to adopt this law and govern this country like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, but we will not allow this. They are beating us every day, poisoning with gas, but we will not stop."
12. Protesters gathered
13. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) Irakli Kvirikadze, actor:
"Our plan is not to stop until the law is withdrawn. I do not know what will happen, but we know what our duty is and you can see the result of it (pointing to the people) and this will continue until we reach our goal."
14. Wide of rally, protester with horn
15. Various of protester holding sign reading (English): "When tyranny becomes law rebellion becomes duty"
16. Protesters blocking main road
STORYLINE:
Thousands of protesters marched in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and blocked a main road junction on Thursday evening, demanding the withdrawal of a controversial law.
Protesters initially gathered in front of the Parliament but decided to spread themselves throughout the city.
Protesters have denounced the bill as “the Russian law” because neighbouring Russia uses similar legislation to stigmatise independent news media and organisations critical of the Kremlin.
"Our plan is not to stop until the law is withdrawn," actor and protester Irakli Kvirikadze said.
The law would require media and noncommercial organisations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power,” if they receive more than 20% of funding from abroad.
The ruling Georgian Dream party withdrew a similar proposal last year after large crowds protested.
Eighty-three of Georgia’s 150 lawmakers approved the bill in its second reading, while 23 voted against it.
A third and final vote in Parliament is needed before it can be signed into law.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters on Wednesday that he expected the final vote to happen in mid-May.
There are fears that if the law is adopted, it will limit media freedom and derail Georgia from its pro-European path.
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