Georgia Launches Hotline Under Controversial ‘Foreign Agent’ Law, Drawing Criticism Over U.S. FARA Comparison

The logo of Georgia's Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Georgia’s government has launched a public hotline and email system to report alleged violations of a newly enacted foreign agents law, set to take effect on June 1. Modeled on the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the law is drawing harsh criticism for targeting individuals and media organizations under the guise of combating foreign influence.

The law, which replaces a previous version passed in 2024, broadens the definition of “foreign agent” to include not only organizations but also individuals deemed to be acting under the direction of a foreign power. Failure to register can result in up to five years in prison, a ₾10,000 ($3,600) fine, or both.

To support enforcement, Georgia’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has launched a website providing information about the law, including e-filing services and a reporting mechanism. The site urges citizens to report suspected violations:“If you believe that an individual, group of partners, association, corporation, non-profit (non-commercial) legal entity or any other association of individuals is violating any provision of the law or is required to register and is not registering, please notify the Anti-Corruption Bureau.”

The ruling Georgian Dream party claims the law is necessary to improve transparency and limit foreign influence. But opponents argue the real intent is to suppress civil society and independent media, all while borrowing language from U.S. law to justify domestic crackdowns.

Critics highlight that the U.S. FARA law, enacted in 1938 to counter Nazi and Soviet propaganda, is rarely used to criminally prosecute violators. Between 1988 and 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice pursued only ten criminal FARA cases.

Legal observers note that Georgian authorities appear to be invoking FARA in name only—without applying the U.S. legal safeguards or narrow use cases that limit FARA’s impact on media and civil society.

As Georgia moves toward implementing the law, international human rights groups are closely watching how it will be enforced—and whether it marks another step backward for democracy in the country.