In a critical moment for Georgia’s LGBT+ community, President Salome Zourabichvili is urged not to sign the “On Family Values and the Protection of Minors” legislative package into law. The bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, includes sweeping measures that restrict LGBT+ rights, including a ban on gender recognition and trans-specific healthcare, and prohibitions on same-sex adoption and public demonstrations.
This legislation mirrors Russia’s approach, with amendments to 18 laws targeting freedom of expression and LGBT+ visibility. It also imposes mandatory “biological sex” markers on documents, impacting both Georgian citizens and foreign residents. Human rights organizations warn that it could lead to discrimination, family separations, and violence against the LGBT+ community.
The legislation arrives just ahead of Georgia’s national elections in October 2024, raising concerns that the ruling party is scapegoating LGBT+ people for political gain. Significant opposition has risen across Georgian society, with mass protests against the law. Many fear it will undermine Georgia’s path toward EU accession, which requires respect for fundamental human rights.
The international community, including the EU and human rights organizations like ILGA-Europe, calls on the President to reject this bill. They urge Georgia to respect human rights and reject laws that threaten democratic freedoms and the lives of the LGBT+ community.
more info: www.ilga-europe.org
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