Tbilisi, 1 May 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Police in Georgia have detained 63 participants in mass protests criticizing the government, the South Caucasus republic's deputy interior minister, Alexander Darakhvelidze, said on Wednesday in the capital Tbilisi.

During the night, security forces used tear gas, water cannons and batons against the crowd of tens of thousands of people.

Their protest has been directed for weeks against the government's plans to prevent alleged foreign influence on Georgian civil society.

The second reading of this law is set to continue in the parliament of the former Soviet republic which is now a candidate to join the European Union on Wednesday.

Among those detained was Levan Khabeishvili, the leader of the largest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM). Khabeishvili published a photo showing his swollen bloody face. He said that he had been mistreated by the police.

The security forces had used violence against the demonstrators on Tuesday evening, forcing them away from the parliament building. The situation only calmed down during the night. New protests have been announced for Wednesday.

The bone of contention is a law, similar to one in Russia, that classifies non-governmental organizations (NGO) that receive money from abroad as foreign agents.

Many projects promoting democracy work with money from EU states or the United States.

The ruling Georgian Dream party says the aim of the law is greater transparency.

Critics expect the Moscow-style law to be misused to stop the flow of money and persecute pro-Western forces.

The Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012, is taking an increasingly authoritarian stance ahead of parliamentary elections in the autumn.

The pro-European demonstrators fear that this course will jeopardize the country's hoped-for accession to the EU.

Photo: EPA