Foreign Agent Laws: The Latest Authoritarian Weapon Against Civil Society By Inés M. Pousadela Copyright © 2025 IPS-Inter Press Service.

https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/10/foreign-agent-laws-the-latest-authoritarian-weapon-against-civil-society/ MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Oct 21 2025 (IPS) - When thousands of Georgians filled the streets of Tbilisi in 2023 to protest against their government’s proposed ‘foreign agents’ law, they understood what their leaders were trying to do: this wasn’t about transparency or accountability; it was about silencing dissent. Though the government was forced to withdraw the legislation, it returned with renewed determination in 2024, passing a renamed version despite even bigger protests. The law has effectively frozen Georgia’s hopes of joining the European Union. Copyright © 2025 IPS-Inter Press Service.