On August 27, the Tbilisi City Court approved a motion from the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office to freeze the bank accounts of several non-governmental organizations as part of an ongoing investigation, including the human rights advocacy Social Justice Center. The case concerns allegations of sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravating circumstances, providing assistance to foreign-controlled entities engaged in hostile activities, and mobilizing funds directed against Georgia’s constitutional order and national security.
According to investigators, protests held in 2024 in front of the Georgian Parliament and across the country, which opposition groups described as demonstrations against alleged election irregularities, escalated from demonstrations into violent clashes with police. The Prosecutor’s Office states that opposition party leaders and some NGO representatives called for broader acts of civil disobedience. Investigators claim that funds were redirected toward purchasing equipment such as gas masks, goggles, and pepper spray for protesters.
However, the legal framework invoked to freeze NGO bank accounts—the Foreign Agents Registration Act—has faced strong criticism both domestically and internationally, sparking mass protests in Georgia and prompting sanctions from the European Union. Adopted in June 2025, the law requires organizations receiving foreign funding to register as “agents of foreign influence” and grants authorities powers to monitor finances, restrict alleged misuse, and request sensitive personal data, including information on victims of domestic violence or the identity of whistleblowers.