Georgia: International solidarity with Georgian civil society

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As human rights defenders across the globe, we are deeply troubled by efforts of the Georgian government to stifle civil society voices through the introduction of the law "on the transparency of foreign influence".

To our friends and allies in Georgia, please know that we stand with you as you stand up against your government's attempt to adopt the law, which clearly targets civil society organisations and independent media. This attack on freedoms of speech and assembly, as well as on basic and fundamental rights for a democratic and pluralist society affects all of us. It is an attempt to dehumanise and stigmatise civil society activity, something that runs contrary to Georgia's human rights commitments, as well as international human rights standards and values.

In some of our own countries we too are witnessing similar developments designed to curtail accountability and defence of human rights. This kind of legislation has led to reprisals, attacks, red-tagging, imprisonments, abductions and killings of human rights defenders, environmental activists, legal professionals, journalists, workers, community leaders and other civil society actors. It is disturbing to see the same risks now facing the people of Georgia who have been fiercely fighting for liberty, independence, freedom and democracy for the past 35 years.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Georgia. We greatly appreciate your fight for freedom and democracy and we acknowledge that the adoption of this law in Georgia will have implications for our countries too.

We call on the Georgian government to vote down the draft law and return to the reform agenda which is so much needed for Georgia's continued leadership in democratisation and development.

As the Annual General Meeting of the Asian Development Bank takes place in Tbilisi in the coming days, we call on international financial institutions and other international partners of Georgia to publicly condemn this attack on human rights and democracy and publicly state their support to Georgian civil society and people of Georgia who demand democracy and human rights.

Signatories:

1. Accountability Counsel | USA
2. Action Paysanne Contre la Faim APCF | DRC
3. African Law Foundation (AFRILAW) | Nigeria
4. Alyansa Tigil Mina (Alliance to Stop Mining) | Philippines
5. Amnesty International | Global
6. Ardha Jabesa Foundation | Kenya
7. Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy (AIPNEE)
8. Bank Climate Advocates | USA
9. Bank Information Center | USA
10. International Rivers | USA
11. CEE Bankwatch | Czech Republic
12. Centre for Community Mobilization and support NGO | Armenia
13. Christen Dobson (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre) | Global
14. Cohesión Comunitaria e Innovación Social | Mexico
15. Collectif des ONG Œuvrant dans le secteur de mines, Environnement et Electricité COMEE | DRC
16. Conseil Régional des Organisations Non Gouvernementales de Développement CRONGD | DRC
17. Defenders in Development campaign | Global
18. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders | Global
19. Front Line Defenders | Ireland
20. Global Rights | Nigeria
21. HRM Bir Duino | Kyrgyzstan
22. Indian Social Action Forum | India
23. International Accountability Project | Global
24. International Indigenous Fund for development and solidarity "Batani" (Batani Foundation) | Russia/USA
25. Kashi Jermaine, Kwale Mining Alliance | Kenya
26. Participatory Research & Action Network - PRAAN | Bangladesh
27. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law | Kazakhstan
28. KRuHA - People's coalition for the right to water | Indonesia
29. Latinoamérica Sustentable | Latin America
30. Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP) | Nepal
31. lM-Defensoras | Latin America
32. Jamaa Resource Initiatives | Kenya
33. Mirvari Gahramanli | Oil Workers' Rights Protection Organization | Azerbaijan
34. Nora Sausmikat, Urgewald | Germany
35. Oleg Dulgaryan, human rights defender | Armenia
36. Otros Mundos Chiapas I Mexico
37. OTWatch | Mongolia
38. Recourse | Netherlands
39. Rivers without Boundaries Coalition | Global & Mongolia
40. Unidosc | Mexico
41. Uzbek Forum for Human Rights | Germany
42. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders | Global
43. Yayasan Keadilan Iklim Indonesia (Climate Justice Indonesia Foundation) | Indonesia
44. Yayasan Srikandi Lestari,( Srikandi Lestari Foundation) | Indonesia
45. Youth for Green Communities | Uganda