Georgian police use water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters

Riot police fire water at protesters outside the Georgian parliament (Nicolo Vincenzo Malvestuto/AP)

Police in the capital of Georgia have used water cannon and tear gas to disperse demonstrators around the parliament building protesting against a draft law that they say could stifle media freedom and civil society.

Lawmakers on Tuesday approved the first reading of the proposed law, which would require media and non-governmental organisations which receive over 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as “agents of foreign influence”.