On September 17, the Georgian Parliament adopted the anti-LBTQ+ legislative package in its third hearing with 84 votes in favor, 0 votes against. The package consists of a core bill “On Protection of Family Values and Minors” and 18 related amendments to various laws of Georgia.
On October 3, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili signed the anti-LGBT bill into law, after President Salome Zurabishvili refused to sign the bill, but did not veto it. The Speaker, who co-authored the homophobic and transphobic bill, had 5 days to sign and publish the law after the president refused. The law will take effect 60 days after publication, more than a month after the crucial October 26 parliamentary elections.
We have compiled international reactions to the adoption of the Anti-LGBT legislation:
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS): “UNAIDS expresses deep concern over the recently adopted anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Georgia, which poses serious risks to public health and human rights… These discriminatory laws violate fundamental rights to autonomy, dignity, and equality, exacerbating stigma and hindering LGBTQ+ people’s access to essential health services. This undermines Georgia’s efforts to end AIDS and combat other infectious diseases.
UNAIDS reiterates that laws discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals have no place in modern society. They lead to harassment, discrimination, violence and social exclusion, jeopardizing efforts to end the HIV epidemic. We call on Georgian authorities to repeal these harmful laws, as they will further isolate marginalized communities and worsen public health outcomes. Stigma kills, but solidarity saves lives. Upholding the rights of LGBTQ+ people is crucial to advancing public health, social cohesion, and equality for all.”
Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe: “I am deeply concerned about the adoption by the Parliament of Georgia of the legislation “On protecting family values and minors”… This legislation seems fundamentally at odds with the principles enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and a draft constitutional law with similar content previously received a critical opinion from the Venice Commission. It denies LGBTI people their human dignity, undermining the values of equality, inclusion and diversity that underpin cohesive democratic societies and which the Congress resolutely defends and promotes across regions and municipalities in Europe and beyond.
I am particularly worried that, as a result of this legislation, instead of firmly rejecting any kind of discrimination, including based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Georgian authorities at all levels of government will be legally obliged to implement policies that violate the human rights of LGBTI people, and thus contribute to their stigmatization and social exclusion… I therefore encourage the President of Georgia to veto this legislation and urge the Georgian parliament not to override yet another presidential veto…”
Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission: “The Georgian Parliament adopted laws on ‘family values and protection of minors’ which will undermine the fundamental rights of the people and increase discrimination and stigmatization. I call on Georgia to withdraw this legislation, further derailing the country from its EU path.”
Matthew Miller, U.S. State Department Spokesperson: “…as we have been saying for months, that Georgia has been moving away from its stated desire and the evident desire of its people for Euro-Atlantic integration through anti-democratic actions, through crackdown on vulnerable and marginalized people, and this law is very much in keeping with that.”
Margus Tsahkna, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Disturbing to see Georgia trampling upon the rights of some minority groups under the banner of protecting family values.”
German Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The legislative package passed by Georgian Parliament is designed to discriminate against LGBTQI people. It infringes on individuals’ civil rights, as pointed out by the Venice Commission, and moves Georgia further away from the EU. We call on Georgia to reverse its course.”
Espen Barth Eide, Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Norway regrets Georgia’s adoption of the anti-LGBT+ legislative package. This undermines fundamental human rights, democratic values, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. We urge Georgia to reconsider.”
Embassy of U.K. in Georgia: “The United Kingdom is seriously concerned by the adoption, in the third reading, of the legislative package on “family values and protection of minors” by the Parliament of Georgia. This package undermines fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and assembly and risks further stigmatization and discrimination of part of the Georgian population. This legislation impacts the rights of all Georgian citizens… We call on the Georgian authorities to reconsider the package of laws on “family values and protection of minors” which together with the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence place restrictions on both civil society and individual Georgians and call into question the breadth of the UK Georgia relationship.”
Sheraz Gasri, French Ambassador to Georgia: “Going after LGBT+ persons in the name of family values and child’s rights contradicts universal Human Rights and the need to protect everyone from incitement to hatred, violence and discrimination, on any ground. Georgia’s anti-LGBT law is another step back on EU path.”
Freedom House: “We strongly condemn today’s decision by the Georgian parliament, which is nothing short of an assault on Georgia’s LGBT+ community and the fundamental freedoms of all Georgians. This step, like the passage of the country’s “foreign agents” law last May, is pulled directly from the Kremlin’s authoritarian playbook and again calls into question Georgia’s democratic trajectory. We urge the Georgian government to reverse course.”
Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum: “Our thoughts are with the LGBTQ+ people of Georgia, whose rights are already under scrutiny and now being further repressed. We regret that the new law fundamentally goes against article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which prohibits discrimination for any reason such as sex and sexual orientation. We are saddened that this complicates Georgian society’s path to European integration.”
Also Read:
- 27/06/2024 – Anti-LGBT Legislation Passed in First Reading
- 25/03/2024 – GD Pushes for Anti-LGBT Constitutional Law