Georgian security forces used water cannon, teargas and stun grenades against protesters outside parliament late on Tuesday, sharply escalating a crackdown after lawmakers debated a “foreign agents” bill that is viewed by the opposition and western nations as authoritarian and Russian-inspired,
The Guardian reports.
Reuters witnesses saw some police officers physically attack protesters – who threw eggs and bottles at them – before using teargas, water cannon and stun grenades to force demonstrators from the area outside the Soviet-built parliament building.
Thousands of anti-government demonstrators have shut down Tbilisi’s central streets on a nightly basis since parliament approved the bill’s first reading on 17 April.
The bill would require organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents”.
Georgian critics have labelled the bill “the Russian law”, comparing it to Moscow’s “foreign agent” legislation, which has been used to crack down on dissent there.
Masked riot police violently rushed the peaceful rally while beating and arresting scores of people protesting against the bill. Several journalists were attacked, including an AFP photographer who was beaten with a rubber baton despite being clearly identified as a member of the press, according to the news agency.
Levan Khabeishvili – the chairman of the main opposition United National Movement of jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili – was badly beaten and had to seek medical help.
Local TV stations aired footage showing him with his face disfigured and missing teeth. A party official told Reuters that Khabeishvili was beaten by police after disappearing from central Tbilisi.
