GYLA: ECtHR Begins Examining Complaints Over FARA
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), a local human rights group, said the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has begun examining an application challenging the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), a Georgian version of the U.S. legislation adopted last year that foresees criminal penalties for those receiving foreign funding who fail to register as foreign agents.
According to GYLA, the ECtHR has also communicated the case to the Georgian government, sending a written set of questions regarding the alleged rights violations.
The joint application against FARA was filed with the ECtHR by a group of Georgian non-governmental and media organizations in September 2025, several months after the law was adopted and came into effect.
GYLA Chair Tamar Oniani, speaking at an April 1 briefing, said the ECtHR has started examining the complaints “with respect to all [disputed] articles.” According to her, GYLA argues a violation of several rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, including Article 11 (freedom of assembly), Article 10 (freedom of expression), Article 13 (right to an effective remedy), Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination), and Article 18 (limits on the use of restrictions on rights).
She went on to say that the Court may grant the case “impact” case status. “This means that the Strasbourg court will consider the case on a priority basis, as it involves a legal issue of fundamental importance, and the decision in this case could set a precedent not only for Georgia but for all member states of the Council of Europe,” Oniani said.
FARA was the third “foreign agents” law introduced since 2023 and the second to take effect. It is widely considered harsher than its predecessor, the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence (Foreign Agents Law), as it extended restrictions from non-governmental organizations to individuals and introduced criminal penalties, including fines of up to GEL 10,000 (USD 3,650), up to five years in prison, or both.
The law “is a continuation of the restrictive legislative climate aimed at curbing civil society and media organizations,” Oniani said.
Also Read:
- 23/01/2026 – GYLA Says ECtHR Began Examining Complaints over Georgia’s Disputed 2024 Parliamentary Elections
- 17/10/2024 – Foreign Agents Law To Be Challenged in ECHR