Examining the Foreign Agent Laws around the World

So-called “foreign agent” laws have become a defining authoritarian tool of our time. From Türkiye to Georgia, from Hungary to Republika Srpska, governments across the world are using similar legal frameworks to silence civil society, restrict independent media, and delegitimize dissent by labelling it as foreign interference. These laws share a common logic: to make the work of journalists, activists, and NGOs legally precarious and socially suspect. 

D84 has been tracking this global trend through in-depth analyses and interviews with civil society actors from affected countries, mapping how these laws are designed, deployed, and resisted. Our research examines the proposed foreign agent legislation in Türkiye alongside comparable cases in Georgia, Hungary, Bosnia, and the United States, drawing connections between local realities and a broader authoritarian playbook. 

Supported by Fritt Ord.