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#RepublicOfGeorgia: First year of #Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how #autocracies are replicating #Russian model − and speeding up the time frame
Published: March 28, 2025 6:25am EDT
"#Autocracy is on the move worldwide and becoming more resilient.
"One of the driving forces behind this phenomenon is something scholars call '#AuthoritarianLearning,' a process by which autocratic leaders study each other and adapt tactics based on what appears to work, and how to proceed when they encounter #resistance.
"Take Georgia. The ruling Georgian Dream party has steered the Caucasus nation from a path toward democracy back to autocracy – and it has done so by learning from Russia. In particular, it adopted a '#ForeignAgent' law in May 2024 – legislation that came straight from #VladimirPutin’s playbook.
"Sold to the public as increasing #transparency, the legislation has been utilized to persecute Georgia’s #opposition and arrest #dissidents with impunity.
"As researchers examining the structure and effects of autocratic regimes, we view Georgia’s first year of its foreign agent law as an example of how politicians are not only learning the tactics of Russian authoritarianism but improving on them in a shorter time frame."
#RightToProtest #AntiProtestLaws
#GeorgianLaws #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRights #RepublicOfGeorgia #GeorgianDream #ProtestSponsors #ExpandedPolicePowers #PoliceState #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Autocracy
#RepublicOfGeorgia: New legislation directly threatens people's right to #protest and #FreeExpression
In a troubling shift toward #authoritarian governance, Georgia’s ruling party has enacted legislative reforms that drastically restrict freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and proposed changes to restrict #media, public participation.
February 10, 2025
"The key changes obstructing people’s right to protest include:
- Expanded organisers' liability;
- Restrictions on spontaneous protests;
- Limitations on protests in enclosed spaces: Protests in closed spaces or buildings now require written consent from the property owner, significantly restricting #student and #workplace #demonstrations. This provision appears to be a direct response to recent protests on #UniversityCampuses;
- Expanded penalties for protest-related offenses: Petty #hooliganism fines have risen from GEL 500-1,000 to GEL 500-2,000 (from maximum approximately 350-700 EUR) , with imprisonment now up to 20 days instead of 15. Verbal insults towards #PoliceOfficers now carry fines of GEL 2,000 5,000 (approx. 700-1750 EUR) or up to 60 days’ imprisonment. Repeat offenses can result in a GEL 3,500-6,000 ( 1200–2100 EUR) fine and extended jail terms. Additionally, individuals accused of "disrupting public order" face severe criminal penalties, including up to 3 years in prison;
- New restrictions on symbolic protest actions: Covering one's face, possessing a laser or light-emitting device, or wearing clothing resembling police or military uniforms during assemblies are now punishable by fines of GEL 2,000 ( 700 EUR) or imprisonment up to 7 days. Such measures are expected to disproportionately impact younger protesters and student-led movements;
- #Broadened law enforcement powers: The Ministry of Internal Affairs now holds increased authority over protest regulation, including the power to block protests that allegedly threaten public order or constitutional stability. Authorities can now use '#EmergencyMeasures' to disperse gatherings, including mass #arrests and prolonged #detentions;
- Increased state control over protest logistics: Protesters are now required to ensure that demonstrations do not obstruct transportation routes. Organisers must take action within 15 minutes of a warning to remove roadblocks or temporary structures, failing which they will face criminal liability;
- Participation in protests previously dispersed by law enforcement is now classified as an offense, subjecting #demonstrators to legal consequences.
"Given that the median salary in Georgia in 2023 was GEL 1,238 (approximately 400 EUR), these fines represent a disproportionate financial burden on protesters, effectively discouraging civic engagement and public demonstrations."
#RightToProtest #AntiProtestLaws
#GeorgianLaws #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRights #RepublicOfGeorgia #GeorgianDream #FaceMasks #AntiMaskLaws #ProtestSponsors #ACAB #ExpandedPolicePowers #PoliceState #Authoritarianism #Fascism
#Protesters rally for the fourth week against #Hungary’s law banning #LGBTQ #Pride events
The legislation, which prohibits events depicting homosexuality to those under age 18, has drawn comparisons to #Russia’s #AntiLGBTQ policies.
By The Associated Press
April 9, 2025, 1:58 PM EDT
BUDAPEST, Hungary — "Thousands of protesters rallied for the fourth week in Hungary’s capital on Tuesday, denouncing a new law passed by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s nationalist government banning LGBTQ Pride events.
"The legislation, fast-tracked through parliament in March, prohibits events depicting #homosexuality to those under the age of 18 and has drawn comparisons to Russia’s anti-LGBTQ policies. It comes as Orbán’s administration is increasingly accused of democratic backsliding ahead of national elections next year.
"The weekly protests in #Budapest have persisted, and on Tuesday, demonstrators filled the #ErzsébetBridge over the #Danube, demanding the withdrawal of the law. Some planned to remain on the bridge throughout the night and said there were plans to shut down all five central Danube bridges.
No violence was immediately reported.
"The law makes it an offense to hold or attend events such as Pride, which some legal experts and human rights groups say is #Orbán’s latest crackdown on Hungary’s #LGBTQ community and an arbitrary restriction on the #RightToAssembly."
#AntiLGBTLaws #RightToProtest #AntiProtestLaws #PrideParades
#HungarianLaws #ACAB #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRights
#SilencingDissent: The #Crackdown on #PeacefulProtest in #Europe
In our recently published Rule of Law report, Liberties’ members reported an increase in restrictions on the right to peaceful protest in all countries.
by Flore du Teilleul
April 10, 2025
Excerpt:
"The right to peaceful protest is essential to our democracies, allowing people to come together with a unified voice to support or oppose key issues. It serves as a powerful mechanism for individuals to hold their governments to account and is often the last resort when prior messages go unheard. However, politicians often perceive this right as a threat, especially when force of numbers demonstrates support for an issue.
"In our recently published Rule of Law report, Liberties’ members reported an increase in restrictions on the right to peaceful protest in all countries - from bans on individual protests to the disproportionate use of force by the police and legislative changes. A widespread trend emerged of restricted #ProPalestine protests and #EnvironmentalDefenders receiving particularly harsh penalties.
Bans on Protests
"Restrictions on various protest movements justified on public safety grounds were documented in many member states. In #Germany, the Berlin Assembly Authorities implemented a temporary blanket ban targeting pro-Palestine demonstrations. Initially, the ban targeted celebrations of the mass murder and pro-Hamas demonstrations but later extended to all pro-Palestinian protests. Similarly, in #Latvia, an unregistered #FreePalestine movement protest was banned after an assessment by the state security service that the event would, among other risks, harm the country’s international interests.
"The Estonian police banned a protest in support of #Palestinians, which was later declared unlawful by the administrative court. In #Hungary, Prime Minister #ViktorOrbán publicly prejudiced support for Palestinians by linking it with terrorism, equating solidarity with civilians victims to threats to the public order. As the fifteen attempts to organise protests were successively banned, the government and the Prime Minister re-asserted their power by deciding what can be demonstrated for, namely, topics in line with their political interests. Following the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the Hungarian government has repeatedly declared and extended the state of danger, allowing for the adoption of emergency decrees restricting, among other rights, the freedom to assemble. Both the Hungarian Supreme Court and Constitutional Court upheld the protest bans on the basis of public safety and security, legalising the practice of police-authorised restrictions in times of conflict.
"Further restrictions, including bans on #slogans and #signs during #demonstrations, sought to criminalise protesters. Several individuals were arrested or fined for displaying signs or slogans related to Palestine. In #Belgium, activists faced administrative sanctions for carrying a #PalestinianFlag or the #keffiyeh. Similarly, in the #Netherlands, attendees of an #ExtinctionRebellion demonstration were prohibited from mentioning the conflict in the Middle East. The enforcement of restrictions went as far as arrests, as Croatian activists were charged with misdemeanor after projecting a message in support of Palestine on a building across from the Israeli Embassy in Zagreb.
"In Hungary, a demonstrator faced criminal charges after wearing a gas mask and removing it after being asked by the police. In a worrying trend of criminalising protest activities, several activists were arrested and charged with sedition before an Extinction Rebellion demonstration in the Netherlands.
Disproportionate use of force by the police
"The criminalisation of environmental and pro-Palestine protesters was worsened by the violent repression of the police through excessive use of force. This was particularly notable in Sweden, where student encampments in support of Palestinians were forcibly displaced and participants were charged with criminal offenses. #PainGrips, water guns and #WaterCannons were used against environmental activists, pro-Palestinian and anti-immigration demonstrators in Germany, the #Netherlands and #Ireland.
"Environmental activists faced similar fates, The NGO ‘#FranceNatureEnvironnement’ reported concerns to the UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders following the violent repression of protesters during a demonstration against the A69 highway. In #Sweden, a woman was dismissed from her job at the Swedish Energy Agency for participating in an environmental demonstration and a growing number of #EcoActivists were fined for participating in peaceful protests."
Read more:
https://www.liberties.eu/en/stories/rule-of-law-2025-protests/45384
From 2023: Explainer: What are your rights to #protest in #Australia?
by Amal Naser
"Which states have criminalised protest and what forms of protest are criminalised?
"#HumanRights organisations have been increasingly critical towards some Australian states over new legislation which seemingly targets #EnvironmentalProtests in the midst of a global #Climatecrisis.
"There are dozens of protest regulations across many states, with five (#NSW, #Queensland, #SouthAustralia, #Tasmania and #Victoria) introducing forms of #AntiProtest regulation most recently. South Australia's new laws, passed just last month, increase maximum fines from $750 to $50,000 along with potential jail time, and were prompted by disruption of an #OilAndGas conference by protestors in early May.
"In the aftermath of protests which sought to block port operations and shut down economic action to draw attention to demands for climate action, the NSW Parliament passed legislation which could see protestors face up to a $22,000 fine and/or prison for a maximum of two years. The legislation targets individuals who block major roads and new tunnels and/or disrupt #port operations in major ports such as #Newcastle and #PortBotany.
"In 2022, Tasmania passed anti-protest laws by way of the Police Offences Amendment (Workplace Protection) Bill 2022 under the guise of protecting Tasmanian workers. Under these laws, any protestor who obstructs a workplace during protests could face up to 12 months in prison, the Human Rights Law Centre reported:
" '…community member protesting the destruction of #OldGrowthForests on a forestry site could face a penalty of over $13,000 or 2 years in prison; and An organisation supporting members of the community to protest could be fined over $45,000.'
"Similar laws were also passed in Victoria. #AntiLogging protestors who 'hinder, obstruct or interfere with timber-harvesting operations' can face up to 12 months in prison and/or a $21,000 fine. PVC and metal pipes which are often used in protest activities are now prohibited in working sites, with additional powers provided to police to search suspect individuals who are 'reasonably suspicious'.
"In 2019, on public safety grounds, Queensland passed legislation which bans locking devices as modes of civil disobedience. These are tactics used to make it difficult for police to remove protestors and are often used by protestors to lock themselves to property and #pipelines to prevent construction of environmentally-harmful projects. Protestors face up to two years in prison and/or a $6,000 fine. It was rationalised on the basis of activists lacing devices with 'butane canisters' and other devices which were harmful for law enforcement. However, there is no evidence of the use of these devices."
Read more:
https://www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/research/commentary/explainer-what-are-your-rights-to-protest-australia
#PipelineProtestors #BigOilAndGas #BigLogging #ACAB #RightToProtest #SilencingDissent #ProtectTheForests #AustraliaAntiProtestLaws #RisingTide
#Australia: Proposed #AntiProtest Laws: Reviewing #Victoria's New Legislation
by lawyer Galbally Parker | Jan 14, 2025
"The proposed anti- protest laws include:
- Banning the flags and symbols of listed terrorist organisations in public, to give Victoria Police more powers and fill in any gaps in Commonwealth anti-Terror legislation. Listed terrorist organisations include #Hamas, Hezbollah and several other groups, including white nationalist and racist violent extremist (NRVE) right-wing groups.
- Banning the use of #FaceMasks at protests, which are being used to conceal identities and shield agitators from crowd-control measures like #capsicum spray. A mask ban in public demonstrations will focus on prohibiting the wearing of face coverings at protests and providing police with the power to require their removal. Exemptions would apply for legitimate health, religious or cultural reasons.
- Banning the use of glue, rope, chains, locks and other dangerous attachment devices that protestors use to cause maximum disruption and endanger others
- Introducing prohibited zones for protest (i.e., where places of worship are situated)
The proposed anti-protest laws, if legislated, will give police extensive enforcement powers."
Read more:
https://galballyparker.com.au/proposed-anti-protest-laws-a-review-of-victorias-new-legislation/
DA Rosen said that #Trump’s intense focus on #Stanford & other #universities played no role in the decision to charge the #crimes as #felonies.
“What the federal administration is doing is what they’re doing. What I’m doing is applying the California Penal Code,” Rosen said.
They face up to 3 years & 8 months in prison, as well as the payment of restitution to reimburse the #university for the damage.
#Stanford is one of dozens of schools being investigated by the #Trump admin for how they have handled pro-#Palestinian protests & whether they have done enough to combat antisemitism on campus. The admin has also revoked the #visas of several Stanford #students & recent graduates, though the reason is unclear.
The charges were among the most severe levied against participants in last year’s pro-#Palestinian #demonstrations on #college campuses. >3k people were arrested at college #protests & encampments in spring 2024, but they generally faced misdemeanor charges or saw their charges dropped.
Jeff Rosen, the DA for Santa Clara County, which includes the #Stanford campus, charged 12 protesters w/ #felony #vandalism & felony #conspiracy to #trespass.
#Stanford #Protesters Charged With #Felonies for Pro-#Palestinian #Occupation
Prosecutors filed #felony charges on Thurs against 12 protesters, nearly all with ties to #StanfordUniversity, for breaking into an administration building & occupying it in 2024.
#law #democracy #RightToProtest #dissent #Trump #justice
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/us/stanford-protesters-palestine-felony.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=p&pvid=9055BF8D-E987-4EE2-BF56-47F25875236F
#MarcoRubio’s letter is the #Trump admin's entire case against #MahmoudKhalil.
The letter, which was undated, was released by Khalil's legal team on Thurs, the day after the Trump admin submitted it in an #immigration court filing. Rubio writes that Khalil's continued presence in the US would have "potentially serious adverse foreign consequences, & would compromise a compelling US foreign policy interest."
#Trump admin lays out its *evidence* for deporting activist #MahmoudKhalil
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25894225/dhs-documents-mahmoud-khalil.pdf
When pressed for evidence about why activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by #immigration authorities last month, #DHS shared a 2-pg letter from Secy of #State #MarcoRubio that accuses the #ColumbiaUniversity grad student of participating in "antisemitic protests & disruptive activities."
Makled does not think it's a coincidence that he was targeted after deciding to represent this client following the #Trump admin's crackdown on #visa holders who have expressed support for #Palestine.
"The purpose of searching my phone doesn't have anything to do with terrorism, there is only a chilling effect, & it's done to be intimidating."
Border agents pressured Makled to hand over his cell phone. He refused. After more than 90 minutes of back-&-forth, he showed agents his contacts list. He was eventually released. Makled says he was never given a reason for his detainment.
However, one of his current clients is a #student who has been charged in connection to a pro-#Palestinian #protest at the University of Michigan.
When reading this remember #Trump conflates #humanitarian concerns for #Palestinians living in #Gaza with constant #Israel attacks while facing starvation & disease as #antisemitism.
#DHS to Begin Screening *Aliens’* #SocialMedia Activity for Antisemitism
#immigration #law #Constitution #CivilRights #FreeSpeech #RightToProtest #FreedomOfAssembly #ThoughtPolice #ViewPointDiscrimination #dissent #NaziState
https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-to-begin-screening-aliens-social-media-activity-for-antisemitism
#Trump Is Trying to #Deport #Students Who Show Up in a ‘Criminal Records Check.’ But Many Have Never Been Convicted
It began with #MahmoudKhalil. Now Trump is trying to deport students by vaguely claiming they have criminal records.
Some have traffic violations. Some didn't even commit a crime.
One's "criminal record"? — Being a #DomesticViolence victim [#survivor].
#immigration #law #Constitution #DueProcess #CivilRights #FreeSpeech #RightToProtest #FreedomOfAssembly
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-is-trying-to-deport-students
#Trump Admin Set to Pause $510 Million for #BrownUniversity
The admin has now targeted 5 #schools’ federal #funding claiming it’s part of a pledge to combat what it has labeled #antisemitism, but what in actuality is #students exercising their #RightToProtest on #university campuses.
#law #FreeSpeech #FreedomOfAssembly #extortion #MafiaState
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/us/trump-administration-brown-university-funding-pause.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=p&pvid=CE266166-B715-45A7-9A62-0A68EE55B1CD
#Columbia Campus Occupation Could Have Ended Without #Police, Report Says
A university senate review concludes that some demonstrators who occupied Hamilton Hall were willing to leave voluntarily.
#RightToProtest #dissent #mediation #PoliceBrutality #NYPD
https://senate.columbia.edu/content/sundial-report
The decision by US Dist Judge Michael Farbiarz in Newark, NJ, means any appeals in the #Palestinian #activist's case will be heard by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, which has a 6-6 split between active judges appointed by Republican & Democratic presidents, instead of the #5thCircuit, the country's most #conservative appeals court.
#MahmoudKhalil
#immigration #law #ColumbiaUniversity #Constitution #FreeSpeech #FreedomOfAssembly #RightToProtest #CivilRights #DueProcess #Trump #AbuseOfPower