**Venice Commission Issues Urgent Opinion on Georgian Parliament‘s Amendments**
The Venice Commission has released an urgent opinion regarding changes made to two Georgian laws by the country’s parliament. The commission was asked for its opinion by Mr. Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
**Concerns About Legislative Process**
The commission is worried that the legislative process was too hasty and didn’t involve the right people. This makes it harder to accept the changes, especially considering recent mass protests in Georgia. The amendments contain vague and broad provisions that give authorities a lot of power, making it difficult for people to know what’s allowed or not.
**Restrictive Measures Questioned**
The commission is also concerned about the new penalties introduced by the amendments. They’re worried that these harsh measures will scare people into not exercising their freedoms of assembly and expression. The commission thinks the authorities didn’t do enough to justify these changes, and they need to rethink them.
**Key Recommendations**
To fix these problems, the Venice Commission recommends:
* Reviewing the severity of penalties for freedom of assembly and expression
* Introducing clear rules before arresting someone for administrative reasons
* Providing a way for people to appeal against unjustified arrests and detention
* Clarifying what’s allowed when it comes to laser devices and face masks during public gatherings
* Creating a process for notifying authorities about spontaneous assemblies
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