The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a new resolution on June 24, expressing grave concern over Georgia’s democratic trajectory and warning that the country currently lacks the conditions necessary for genuinely democratic elections.

The resolution, titled “The functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia,” was prepared by co-rapporteurs Edite Estrela of Portugal and Sabina Ćudić of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It passed after debate with 83 votes in favor, five against, and four abstentions. PACE considered ten amendments to the text, but only some were incorporated into the final document, including an amendment addressing the case of Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov, who was deported from Georgia and later arrested in Baku.

The vote took place against the backdrop of the Georgian Dream delegation’s continued absence from PACE. The ruling party’s delegation suspended its participation following the 2025 winter session, when the Assembly conditionally ratified its credentials on the basis that Georgia would call new parliamentary elections and release all political prisoners.

In the newly adopted resolution, PACE says Georgia’s democratic regression has continued without interruption and has been accompanied by pressure on civil society, opposition parties, independent media, and dissenting voices. The Assembly also notes that the Georgian authorities have failed to act on any of its earlier urgent recommendations.

According to the document, the ongoing deterioration of democratic governance and the authorities’ refusal to respond to PACE’s recommendations cast serious doubt on their readiness to meet Georgia’s obligations and commitments as a member of the Council of Europe.

While the Assembly reiterates its willingness to maintain open and results-oriented dialogue with the Georgian authorities, it stresses that Council of Europe membership is not unconditional. The resolution underlines that membership entails both rights and obligations, and that the organization’s standards, principles, and binding commitments cannot be questioned, weakened, or treated as negotiable.

A major part of the resolution focuses on the prosecution of opposition figures. PACE describes cases against opposition politicians as politically motivated and based on fabricated charges. It again warns that any attempt to ban opposition parties would amount to the effective establishment of a one-party system in Georgia, which would be incompatible with democratic principles and with Georgia’s continued membership in the Council of Europe.

The Assembly calls on the Georgian authorities to withdraw the lawsuit filed with the Constitutional Court seeking to ban opposition parties and to end prosecutions connected to that initiative.

The resolution also points to what it calls a relentless campaign against the democratic opposition, civil society, and independent media. Combined with Georgia’s extreme political and social polarization, PACE says these developments mean that the country currently does not have an environment in which genuinely democratic elections can be held.

The Assembly once again urges the authorities to launch an open and inclusive political process involving all political forces and civil society actors. It says such a process is necessary to restore a free and democratic political environment that reflects the aspirations of Georgian society.

The text further warns that politically motivated prosecutions aimed at silencing dissent raise the specter of political prisoners. It says such practices are incompatible with a democratic society and with Georgia’s obligations as a Council of Europe member. The resolution specifically refers to Ahali party co-founder Nika Melia and Droa party leader Elene Khoshtaria, saying they are being prosecuted on clearly fabricated grounds.

PACE also calls on the Georgian authorities to fully repeal what it describes as recently adopted repressive legislation. This includes controversial amendments to the Criminal Code, the Law on Political Union of Citizens, and the Code of Administrative Offenses. The Assembly again recommends replacing the Code of Administrative Offenses with an entirely new law, to be drafted in close cooperation with the Council of Europe and brought into line with European standards, including the European Convention on Human Rights.

The resolution also demands the full and unconditional repeal of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, commonly referred to as the Foreign Agents Law, as well as the Foreign Agents Registration Act and amendments to the Law on Grants.

PACE emphasizes that a vibrant and pluralistic civil society is a core element of any functioning democracy. It expresses concern over the shrinking space for civil society organizations in Georgia and condemns continued pressure on CSOs, their leaders, and independent media, including through the misuse of controversial legislation.

The document also addresses Georgia’s recent education reform. Referring to corruption concerns surrounding the “One City – One Faculty” initiative, PACE calls on the authorities to create a transparent and independent mechanism to oversee the privatization of any university assets that may become surplus as a result of the reform.

The Assembly also criticizes the authorities for failing to conduct credible investigations into allegations of police brutality and other human rights violations during demonstrations. It says no effective investigation has been carried out into reports of torture and ill-treatment of protesters during arrest and detention.

PACE further calls for a credible, independent, and effective investigation into allegations that prohibited chemical agents were used by police during the dispersal of protests in late 2024.

The resolution states that the Assembly fully shares the findings and conclusions of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report and urges the Georgian authorities to implement its recommendations in full.

In one of the amendments included in the final text, PACE condemns what it calls a recent act of transnational repression against Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov. Sadigov was deported from Georgia through expedited proceedings on April 5, 2026, despite an interim measure issued by the European Court of Human Rights prohibiting his removal to Azerbaijan. He was later arrested in Baku.

The Assembly concludes by reiterating its call for Council of Europe bodies to use all available mechanisms, including those under Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It also invites member states to consider interstate applications to the European Court of Human Rights under Article 33 of the Convention in order to ensure that Georgia fully complies with the standards and obligations arising from its Council of Europe membership.