Republished with full copyright permissions from The Boston News Tribune.

Today, Students For Liberty, the largest international pro-liberty student organisation, has released a statement addressing the recent surge of violence in Tbilisi, Georgia, particularly affecting peaceful protesters who are affiliated with the organisation.

The unrest commenced on May 7th in response to a proposed law aiming to undermine the autonomy of the Georgian people and subject them to the influence of the Russian government. Despite the nation’s sustained efforts in advocating for liberty and the enforcement of the rule of law, this new law poses a significant threat to the country’s freedom. It seeks to impose considerable limitations on media entities, non-governmental organisations, and other non-profit bodies operating in Georgia.

Referred to as the “Foreign Agents” Bill, this law would grant authority to the Georgian government to monitor organisations that promote the values of freedom and democracy. Furthermore, the party proposing this law has initiated a campaign of violence and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, activists, and employees of the targeted organisations.

Amidst a climate of over 100,000 individuals participating in the protests, many have fallen victim to the use of tear gas, pepper spray, physical assault, and unjust detainment. There has also been a concerning surge of threats to the safety of protestors and their families.

Elizabeth Tsereteli, European Programs Associate at Students For Liberty and a resident of Georgia, voiced, “The pro-government media has been disseminating voice clips from LibertyCon Europe, a recent event by Students For Liberty in Tbilisi, portraying it as ‘secret material’ obtained to frame it as a disruptive foreign force. This misrepresentation intensifies our apprehensions about the situation.”

During these troubling times, Students For Liberty unequivocally expresses support for the people of Georgia, as well as for the volunteers and staff members who are presently staunchly defending their freedom against the authoritarian aims of their government.

Students For Liberty stands in solidarity with those individuals who have been subjected to violence because of their opposition to the pro-Russian government forces. This includes prominent figures such as Dimitri Chikovani, Gia Japaridze, Lasha Ghviniadze, Boris Chele Kurua, and Nodar Chachanidze, among others.