Thousands of Georgians gather for concert to honor arrested protesters

Thousands of Georgians gathered in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday for a charity concert aimed at raising money for those arrested during weeks of protests against a controversial “foreign influence” law.

Georgia's parliament passed the controversial law on Tuesday, overcoming a presidential veto of the bill that critics say mirrors Russian legislation used by Moscow to silence dissent.

Brussels and Washington have warned the move would derail the Black Sea country on its path to membership in the European Union.

That sparked nearly two months of daily protests in which police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse rallies, beating and arresting demonstrators.

On Sunday evening, thousands of people gathered in Tbilisi's central Republic Square for an open-air concert by Georgian bands and singers.

Organizers said the goal was to “collect donations for protesters arrested during the protests.”

Many people at the concert expressed anger at the ruling Georgian Dream party, which faces growing accusations of taking Georgia off its western trajectory and back into Russia's orbit.

“They locked up some of us, but we will win. Georgian Dream is counting its last months in power,” said Nico Ladaria, a 38-year-old graphics engineer.

“They passed a Russian-style law against the will of the Georgian people and despite clear warnings that it kills Georgia's prospects for EU membership,” he told AFP.

The law requires NGOs and media outlets receiving at least a fifth of their funding from abroad to register as “organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign power.”

Georgian Dream insists it is committed to Georgia's European aspirations and says the law will ensure “transparency” regarding Western-funded groups that it says are undermining the country's sovereignty.

Georgian activists, independent journalists and opposition politicians accuse the government of waging a concerted campaign of violence and threats.

Tensions have risen ahead of October's legislative elections, seen as a key democratic test.

Georgia's EU candidacy is enshrined in the country's constitution and supported – according to opinion polls – by more than 80 percent of the population.

im/rlp