Georgians protest in last stand against 'foreign agent' bill

TBILISI

Around 1,000 protesters were still outside Georgia's parliament on Monday after an all-night last-stand demonstration against a highly controversial Russian-style "foreign influence" bill.

The ex-Soviet republic has been gripped for weeks by huge protests over the bill, dubbed the "Russian law" as it resembles repressive legislation used by the Kremlin.

Protesters, largely young people, are furious over the bill, saying it will sabotage the Caucasus country's hopes of joining the EU and will end democracy in the country.

The ruling Georgian Dream party, which was forced to drop a similar bill last year after a huge backlash, is intent on passing the bill today, arguing it is all about transparency.

The law requires NGOs and media receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as an "organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power."

MPs yesterday pushed the bill through a parliamentary legal committee in minutes.

Tens of thousands protested against the bill on May 12, with some staying all night to stop ruling party MPs from entering the parliament building yesterday.

At dawn, AFP saw police detain and beat a group of protesters.

Hundreds of riot police lined a small street behind parliament, with some scuffling with protesters.

Authorities had warned they would arrest people who blocked parliament, but thousands defied the warning and came to the building's gates anyway.

The protests in Georgia have been led by students from Tbilisi's universities who declared a strike yesterday.

"We are planning to stay here for as long as it takes," 22-year-old Mariam Kalandadze told AFP.