Georgia: protests against pension reform

In May, a series of mass protests took place in the Georgian capital, sparked by a sweeping plan to reform the pension system and parallel attempts to tighten media regulation. Demonstrators argued that the reform would worsen the situation of the most vulnerable groups, and that new media rules would limit freedom of speech. The protests became multi-day events, partially escalating into clashes with the police. Law enforcement officers responded harshly: there were arrests, special means were used, public organizations recorded cases of abuse of power. International human rights organizations have expressed concern about the possible narrowing of democratic space. The government defended the reform as financially feasible and necessary for the sustainability of the pension system, and the tightening of media rules as a fight against “disinformation” and “external interference.”