The ruling team plans to tighten the law and introduce new prohibitive norms regarding the arrangement of temporary constructions during gatherings and demonstrations

The ruling team plans to tighten the law and introduce new prohibitive norms regarding the arrangement of temporary constructions during gatherings and demonstrations.

Amendments to the law "On Assemblies and Manifestations" are ready for discussion at the initiative of the Georgian Dream deputies, according to which the participants of the assembly and demonstration will be prohibited from setting up temporary constructions if their arrangement: poses a threat to the participants of the assembly or demonstration or other persons; prevents the police from maintaining public order and protection of security; causes disruption of the normal functioning of an enterprise, institution or organization; is not related to the holding of an assembly or demonstration.

In addition, according to the draft law, "in order to avoid distortion of the appearance of the public space", the participants of the assembly or demonstration are prohibited from setting up a temporary structure if the assembly or demonstration is not significantly hindered without its arrangement.

Violation of these new prohibitive norms will result in confiscation of the object and a fine of 500 GEL or confiscation of the object and administrative imprisonment for up to 15 days, and if the violator is an organizer - confiscation of the object and a fine of 5000 GEL or administrative imprisonment for a term of up to 15 days.

According to the explanatory note of the draft law, the reason for making changes to the law "On Assemblies and Manifestations" is the statement issued by the State Security Service on September 18.

"According to the above-mentioned statement, information was obtained within the ongoing investigation of the State Security Service of Georgia, which proves that a certain group of persons operating on the territory of Georgia and outside its borders is planning to destabilize Georgia in October-December 2023. According to the same statement, the mentioned persons are planning, among them, setting up of a so-called city of tents, erecting barricades near the central avenues and strategic objects of Georgia, occupying and blocking the buildings of state bodies. In addition, according to the obtained information, it is planned to bring in and activate an explosive device in the territory of the tent city. Taking into account the mentioned danger, based on the positive obligation of the state defined by the Constitution of Georgia and the European Convention on Human Rights, the relevant authorities of Georgia are obliged to take all reasonable measures to prevent the above-mentioned danger," reads the explanatory card of the draft law.

The authors and initiators of the bill are deputies of Georgian Dream: Anri Okhanashvili, Irakli Beraia, Givi Mikanadze, Rati Ionatamishvili, Irakli Shatakishvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili and Aleksandre Tabatadze.

Deputies of Georgian Dream demand the accelerated review and adoption of the draft law "based on the necessity of effective and timely response" to the threats indicated in the statement of the SSG.

The project will be presented to the Parliament Bureau at the October 2 session.