TBILISI, August 27 – It caused an outcry on Wednesday when authorities froze bank accounts belonging to seven organizations after prosecutors accused them of channeling donor funds toward violent protest activities.
The groups themselves denounced the charges as baseless and politically motivated.
The court decision was made under the new ‘foreign agents‘ law, which came into force in June and gives the government wide powers to scrutinize organizations receiving funding from abroad. Prosecutors argue the NGOs financed protective gear and equipment for protesters who clashed with police last year. The groups insist their activities are peaceful and accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party (GD) of repressing dissent.
Some analysts, like Vakhtang Dzabiradze, see the move as part of GD’s effort to restrict operational space for the opposition, media, and civic activism, warning it risks sliding the country toward authoritarianism. Other commentators note the close proximity to the local elections in October, and point out frame the development as a preventive measure to avoid unrest.
Analyst Zaal Anjaparidze notes that there has been a shift in behavior among both the groups themselves and their donors in recent years. He argues that, in earlier years, international donors would not have tolerated money being spent on items linked to confrontation with police. “It is clear that recently both donors’ policies and NGOs’ positions have changed,” he said, claiming some funds were used to support protesters in ways that suggested planned escalation.
NGOs are now preparing legal challenges in Georgian courts and may take their cases to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. They deny any role in violent actions and call the accusations smear tactics designed to discredit Georgia’s civic sector.
