The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has filed a new lawsuit with the Constitutional Court of Georgia challenging provisions of the controversial “Law on Grants.”
In its statement, GYLA said it is disputing Article 61 of the law, which allowed the Anti-Corruption Bureau to launch mass monitoring of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including GYLA itself, beginning in September. According to the organization, the monitoring is now underway against more than 60 NGOs.
Under the contested provision, the Anti-Corruption Bureau may, with court approval, demand special-category personal data, confidential information (other than state secrets), and records from NGOs, banks, and public institutions. GYLA argues that the bureau has imposed three-day deadlines for the submission of extensive documentation, despite the law not specifying any timeframe for compliance. The group says this creates unreasonable obstacles for NGOs and contradicts constitutional protections.
“Such provisions grant the Anti-Corruption Bureau unchecked powers that undermine the freedom of association guaranteed under Article 22 of the Constitution. Moreover, imposing unreasonably short deadlines violates the right to fair administrative proceedings under Article 18,” the statement reads.
This is GYLA’s second constitutional challenge to the “Law on Grants.” The first, filed on August 18, 2025, contested provisions requiring government approval for the issuance and receipt of grants, which GYLA argued amounted to gross interference in the autonomy and constitutional rights of civil society organizations.
Alongside the new lawsuit, GYLA has asked the Constitutional Court to suspend enforcement of the monitoring provisions until a final ruling is issued.
The group called on the court to “carry out its constitutional mandate and promptly convene a hearing to suspend the operation of the challenged provisions.”
