Thousands march to Georgia chancellery denouncing proposals dubbed 'the Russian law' by opponents

(17 Apr 2024)
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RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi, Georgia - 17 April 2024
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various of protesters marching towards Georgia's State Chancellery
2. Pan of police
3. Mid of police in front of the State Chancellery
4. Various of protesters
5. Close of protesters holding banners, chanting
6. Close of EU and Georgian flags
7. Close of protester holding Georgian flag
8. Mid of police
STORYLINE:
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tbilisi for a second night on Wednesday against a proposed law that would require media and non-commercial organizations to register as being under foreign influence if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.

Protesters marched toward the State Chancellery demanding a withdrawal of the proposal.

Georgia's parliament has voted on the first reading to approve the draft law.

Police on Tuesday dispersed a protest outside the parliament with tear gas.

Opponents say the proposal would obstruct Georgia’s long-sought prospects of joining the European Union.

They denounce it as “the Russian law” because Moscow uses similar legislation to stigmatize independent news media and organizations seen as being at odds with the Kremlin.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has said she would veto the law if it is passed by parliament in the third reading but the ruling party can override the veto by collecting 76 votes. Then the parliament speaker can sign it into law.

The bill is nearly identical to a proposal that the governing party was pressured to withdraw last year after large street protests.

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