On August 11, 2025, several non-governmental organizations four of which are members of the Media Advocacy Coalition received another letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau accusing them of violating the “Foreign Agents Registration Act” (FARA). The organizations concerned are the Civil Society Foundation, Transparency International Georgia, the Media Development Foundation, and the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED).

“They are threatening us with criminal liability and demanding explanations as to why we did not register as agents,” the organizations said in a joint statement.

According to members of the coalition, FARA does not apply to them, and they do not intend to comply with what they call “Russian laws.”

“Our mission is election observation, exposing corruption and disinformation, defending democracy, and assisting the Georgian people,” the organizations stated.

The NGOs first received a letter from the Anti-Corruption Bureau in June 2025.

The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), of which the Media Development Foundation is a member, condemned the harassment of fact-checkers and civil society in Georgia.
“The investigations launched by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, as well as the threat of criminal liability under the so-called foreign agents law, represent an alarming escalation against organizations that provide the public with reliable information,” the IFCN said in a statement.