Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, published today his written comments in the case of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Others v. Georgia (no. 2), currently pending before the European Court of Human Rights.
The case concerns Georgia’s 2025 Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires natural and legal persons conducting ‘political activities’ on behalf of a foreign principal to register as ‘agents of a foreign principal’.
In his written comments, the Commissioner states that the Act forms part of a broader pattern of restrictions targeting civil society’s freedoms of expression and association. He considers that the law’s provisions are inconsistent with the criteria of legality, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality, within the meaning of Articles 10(2) and 11(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights. Additionally, the Commissioner observes that several aspects of the law are inconsistent with its declared purpose of ensuring transparency of the funding of civil society organisations.