Georgia: Russian exiles inspired by protests but scared

FRANCE 24 English

Visit our website: http://www.france24.com  Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English  Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/France24_en

Transcript

00:00 With Georgian and EU flags in hand, these demonstrators resemble those around them outside

00:05 the Tbilisi parliament. But they have a point of difference. They are Russians exiled in

00:11 the country, standing alongside Georgians.

00:14 "All those horrors happening in Russia might happen here if the law is enacted. As a Russian

00:20 citizen I think it is important to show my solidarity."

00:24 They are protesting the foreign influence law passed by parliament this week, which

00:28 would require organisations financed from abroad to register with the authorities.

00:34 For many Russians in Georgia, it reminds them of a similar law passed in their home country

00:39 in 2012 that led to the closure of non-government organisations and independent media.

00:45 "I saw how my country slowly slipped into dictatorship, how the screws were gradually

00:51 tightened. And when I read the government's words and realised its motives, I understood

00:59 that the Russian scenario is repeating. The worst thing is that the motives are the same."

01:07 But their solidarity doesn't prevent tensions arising. In Tbilisi, there is graffiti calling

01:12 on Russians to go home. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Georgia has seen an influx of

01:17 refugees fleeing military mobilisation. Now, more than 100,000 Russians are currently in

01:24 the country.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended