Reacting to the news that Georgia’s ruling party has proposed a discriminatory constitutional bill that, among other restrictions, bans any public expression of opinion or public gatherings that could be regarded as “promoting same-sex relationships,” Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said:
“This proposed initiative is a blatant attack on human rights in Georgia and on the rights of LGBTI people in particular. It is distressing to see the governing party pursue such a detrimental initiative in a country that is pursuing membership of the European Union, which is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom and equality for all.”
“By promoting this openly discriminatory legislation, Georgian authorities are not only betraying human rights principles but are also aligning with the most lamentable examples from the region, where the rights of LGBTI individuals are increasingly under assault. These proposed changes are in direct conflict with the human rights that the Georgian Constitution protects for everyone, such as freedom of expression, assembly and association regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
By promoting this openly discriminatory legislation, Georgian authorities are not only betraying human rights principles but are also aligning with the most lamentable examples from the region
Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director
“We call on the Georgian authorities to immediately abandon this initiative and take genuine steps to ensure human rights are a reality for all in Georgia. LGBTI people, like all individuals, have the right to be protected from discrimination and to enjoy all human rights fully and without exception, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
Background
On 25 March, a senior member of Georgia’s ruling party announced a plan to pass the bill to counter what they describe as “LGBT propaganda.” The bill envisages a long list of homophobic and transphobic measures, including an explicit ban on sharing information or holding public gatherings that can be regarded as “promoting same-sex relationships,” prohibition of adoption by same-sex couples, prohibition of sex change and of recognition of any non-binary gender, among others.
This move comes one year after the introduction of another restrictive bill, a “foreign agents” law, that risked restricting civil society groups generally modelled on Russian legislation, which was ultimately withdrawn following widespread protests in the country’s capital Tbilisi.
