International Solidarity with Georgian Civil Society and the people of Georgia

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 organizations 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 dehumanize and stigmatize 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 defense 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 democratization 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.

Signatures (organizations)

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) | Asia
8. Bank Climate Advocates | US
9. Bank Information Center | US
10. International Rivers | US
11. Brot für die Welt | Germany
12. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Global
13. Cambio Sistémico | Mexico
14. CEE Bankwatch | Czech Republic
15. Centre for Community Mobilization and support NGO | Armenia
16. Cohesión Comunitaria e Innovación Social | Mexico 
17. Collectif des ONG Œuvrant dans le secteur de mines, Environnement et Electricité COMEE| DRC
18. Conseil Régional des Organisations Non Gouvernementales de Développement CRONGD | DRC
19. Crude Accountability | US
20. Deca Equipo Pueblos | Mexico
21. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders | Global
22. Freedom House | US
23. Front Line Defenders | Ireland
24. Global Rights | Nigeria
25. Gobierno y Análisis Político AC (GAPAC) | Mexico 
26. Green Development Advocates | Cameroon 
27. HRM Bir Duino | Kyrgyzstan
28. Human defenders group - Aksabskur, Uzbekistan  
29. Indian Social Action Forum | India 
30. Iniciativas para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Oaxaqueña (IDEMO) | Mexico
31. International Accountability Project | Global
32. International Indigenous Fund for development and solidarity “Batani” (Batani Foundation) |  Russia/USA
33. Kashi Jermaine, Kwale Mining Alliance | Kenya
34. Participatory Research & Action Network – PRAAN | Bangladesh
35. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law  | Kazakhstan
36. KRuHA – People’s coalition for the right to water  |  Indonesia
37. Latinoamérica Sustentable, Regional  | Latin America
38. Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP)  | Nepal
39. lM Defensoras  |  Latin America  
40. OADHERE RDC ( observatorie africans de droit
41. Otros Mundos Chiapas  |  Mexico
42. OTWatch |  Mongolia
43. Phenix Center |  Jordan
44. Protection International (PI) | Belgium and Global
45. Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo, Educación e Investigación (PODER) | Latin America
46. Recourse | Netherlands
47. Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition  | Global
48. Unidosc | Mexico
49. Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism | Global
50. Uzbek Forum for Human Rights  | Germany
51. Workers’ Assistance Center (WAC) | Philippines
52. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders | Global
53. Yayasan Keadilan Iklim Indonesia (Climate Justice Indonesia Foundation) | Indonesia
54. Yayasan Srikandi Lestari,( Srikandi Lestari Foundation) | Indonesia

Signatures (individuals)

1. Maurice Ouma Odhiambo, Jamaa Resource Initiatives, Kenya
2. Mirvari Gahramanli, Oil Worker’s Rights Protection Organization, Azerbaijan
3. Nora Sausmikat, Urgewald/Germany
4. Oleg Dulgaryan, Rights Defender, Armenia
5. Eduardo Aguilar, independent human rights advocate, Mexico