Lawyers for Lawyers, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), and the Law Society of England and Wales (LSEW) are deeply concerned about the recent freezing of bank accounts belonging to several Georgian civil society organisations (CSOs), as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged “sabotage” by the authorities. Many of these organizations work closely with lawyers to provide legal aid and defend fundamental rights. Measures that obstruct their operations not only undermine civil society, but also restrict access to justice by directly impacting the ability of lawyers to carry out their professional duties in support of justice and the rule of law.
On 27 August 2025, a Georgian court granted an order to freeze the financial assets of seven prominent organizations: the Civil Society Foundation, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Democracy Defenders, Georgian Democracy Initiative, Sapari, and the Social Justice Center. Previously, on 17 March 2025, a Tbilisi City court issued an urgent injunction to freeze the financial assets of five organisations. This included Human Rights House Tbilisi, a civil society organisation whose primary goals are the protection and empowerment of human rights defenders, as well as strengthening human rights organisations and groups. The Prosecutor’s Office alleges that these organisations misused funds to support individuals involved in protest-related activities, including the purchase of protective equipment and the coverage of legal expenses. The organisations have categorically denied these accusations, asserting that their activities, including the provision of legal assistance, constitute legitimate and lawful support for fundamental rights.
More recently, on 22 September 2025, up to 30 Georgian civil society organisations – including the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Rights Georgia, and the Human Rights Center – announced they had received inspection requests from Georgia’s Anti-Corruption Bureau under the Amended Law on Grants, a move civil society actors describe as a new wave of ‘persecution and pressure.’ The Law, which was amended in April 2025, bars foreign donors from funding local organisations without government approval and has repeatedly been invoked by the authorities to request wide-ranging information about their activities. In a written response to the requests, the organisations argued that the inspections were unlawful, noting that they neither signed new grant agreements or changed old ones since the Amended Law on Grants entered into force.
Several of the organisations affected provide essential legal aid to vulnerable groups, including protestors, with most of their staff being lawyers who actively work on individual cases. By targeting funds allocated for legal representation, the Georgian authorities are effectively obstructing lawyers from fulfilling their professional obligations.
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Freezing of NGO accounts impacts legal aid and the work of lawyers in Georgia
