The Georgian parliament on Dec. 13 passed the final reading of a bill to ban the wearing of masks, as well as the use of fireworks and lasers during protests, News Georgia reported.
The move is part of the authorities' reaction to the Georgian opposition's protests against vote rigging in the Oct. 26 parliamentary election and the Georgian government's decision to halt the country's EU accession process until 2028.
According to the bill, the fine for wearing a mask or using lasers or fireworks is 2,000 Georgian lari ($712). Meanwhile, the Georgian Interior Ministry will determine the list of individuals allowed to cover their faces at protests due to their occupation, according to the media outlet.
Masks are often worn not only by protesters but also by police officers and pro-government thugs who attack demonstrators.
Under the new legislation, the rules for exporting, importing, and selling fireworks in Georgia are getting stricter — a license will now be required.
Similar laws, nicknamed "dictatorial", were passed under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine in 2014 during the EuroMaidan Revolution. They triggered an escalation of clashes between protesters and the police and were repealed even before Yanukovych's overthrow.
The laws included a ban on wearing protective masks or helmets during protests and moving in convoys of more than five cars. Similarly to another recent Georgian law, Ukraine's dictatorial laws introduced the concept of a "foreign agent" for Western-funded NGOs.
Martin Fornusek
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