The Parliament of Georgia on Tuesday passed a package of bills initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which aims to restrict “LGBT propaganda”.
The legislation was adopted in its third and final reading with 84 votes in favor and none against. Alongside the controversial bill, Parliament also approved other measures included in the legislative package.
In response to the adoption of the Foreign Influence Transparency Law in May, a large section of the opposition declared a boycott of parliamentary activities.
The legislative package, titled On Family Values and Protection of Minors, introduces changes to 18 existing laws, including the “On Freedom of Speech and Expression.” Under the current law, regulation of speech and expression is permissible only in cases such as defamation, incitement to commit a crime, or obscenity. The new amendments extend these restrictions, making it illegal to hold public gatherings or demonstrations that promote gender identities different from biological sex, same-sex relationships, or incest.
The law further obliges broadcasters to refrain from airing content or advertisements promoting LGBT relationships or incest, as well as any depictions of LGBT sexual relationships.
A protest rally took place behind the Parliament building as the bills were being debated. Protesters criticized the legislative package, arguing it fails to address the real issues facing Georgian families. Civil society organizations also condemned the new laws, accusing the government of using them to “manipulate public opinion” ahead of elections and “undermine Georgia’s path toward European integration.
In a statement, the organizations argued that the Family Values and Protection of Minors package distracts from “pressing issues” such as poverty, inflation, emigration, lack of infrastructure, and inadequate healthcare and education. They claimed that rather than addressing these concerns, the government was fostering division and fear to hinder Georgia’s progress toward joining the European Union.
