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.
We have compiled international reactions to the adoption of the Anti-LGBT legislation:
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.”
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.”
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.”
More to follow…
Also Read:
- 27/06/2024 – Anti-LGBT Legislation Passed in First Reading
- 25/03/2024 – GD Pushes for Anti-LGBT Constitutional Law