Media Defence has filed a third-party intervention at the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’) in the case of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Others v. Georgia. The case concerns a challenge to the Transparency on Foreign Influence Law which requires NGOs, print and broadcast media that receive a certain percentage of their annual income from a “foreign power” to register with the Ministry of Justice. In doing so they are designated as “organisations pursuing the interest of a foreign power”. In addition, registered entities will be subject to extensive reporting requirements and highly intrusive supervision by the authorities.
Media Defence’s intervention focuses on the impact of ‘foreign agent’ type laws on the Article 10 rights of journalists and media outlets in other jurisdictions. The intervention highlights the impact these types of laws have on the press and addresses the factors that should be considered when assessing victim status where they have not yet been enforced against journalists and media outlets. It also highlights the extent to which discrimination is central to the application by state authorities of foreign agent type laws and urges the ECtHR to also consider this case from an Article 14 perspective.
You can read the our Intervention here: GYLA and Ors v Georgia (App no. 31069-24) TPI.
For further information please contact Media Defence Legal Director Pádraig Hughes at: padraig.hughes@mediadefence.org.
