Parliament has approved, in a first reading and under an accelerated procedure, another set of amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, further tightening regulations on public gatherings. The draft introduces a new requirement for organizers to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) in advance when a rally is planned in a pedestrian area. It also prohibits the artificial obstruction of pedestrian pathways unless the size of the gathering makes it objectively unavoidable — mirroring the existing ban on blocking road traffic.
The amendments passed with 79 votes in favor and 9 against. The bill was presented in both committee and plenary sessions by Archil Gorduladze, Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee.
Gorduladze claimed that the current law does not sufficiently ensure the balance between the right to assemble and the protection of the rights of others. The proposed changes, he said, aim to address this gap.
Under the draft, organizers must notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs instead of the municipal authorities. After receiving the notification, the MIA would be authorized to suggest a different location or route if the planned form, location, or trajectory of the assembly is deemed to endanger public order, the functioning of state institutions, transport operations, or the free movement of people.
If participants in a spontaneous or planned assembly refuse to comply with the MIA’s proposed location or route and proceed with the original plan, they may face up to 15 days of administrative detention, while organizers may face up to 20 days. Repeated violations would carry criminal liability under Article 347 of the Criminal Code — including up to one year of imprisonment.
Gorduladze explained that if a gathering initially does not infringe on others’ rights but later causes violations, the MIA will issue a warning to participants. The assembly will not be immediately terminated, but individuals may face administrative penalties.
He added that if protesters massively block a roadway, the MIA will warn them and give them 15 minutes to clear it. If they fail to do so, the entire assembly will be declared unlawful, terminated, and participants will be held accountable — with penalties ranging from administrative detention of up to 15 days to criminal liability of up to one year. Individuals who block traffic alone by stepping onto the roadway will also be sanctioned, while those who do not obstruct movement or violate others’ rights will face no responsibility and may continue their protest in accordance with the law.
