The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, on Thursday signed into law a controversial package of bills titled On Family Values and Protection of Minors, initiated by the ruling party, Georgian Dream. The legislation, which has sparked widespread domestic and international condemnation, will be published in the legislative magazine and is set to take effect 60 days from publication.
The President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, refused to sign the bill but notably did not use her veto power, leading the way for Papuashvili to sign it into law as stipulated by the constitution. In a statement, Papuashvili criticized Zourabichvili for her stance, calling her refusal to sign the bill symbolic of the opposition’s failure to protect what he referred to as “the most valuable thing for a person – family and children.”
The law, which passed with 84 votes in favor and zero against in the third reading on September 17, introduces significant changes to 18 existing laws, including the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression. The legislation imposes new restrictions on public speech and expression that could be interpreted as promoting sexual orientation differing from one’s biological sex, same-sex relationships, or incest.
Under the new law, public demonstrations promoting LGBTQ+ identities or relationships between individuals of the same biological sex will be prohibited. Additionally, broadcasters will face new obligations to refrain from airing content that promotes LGBTQ+ relationships or incest, including banning the depiction of such content on television.
The bill has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies, with the Venice Commission urging the Georgian Parliament to reconsider and halt further work on the draft law. The EU’s High Representative, Peter Stano, also expressed concern, stating that the law undermines the fundamental rights of Georgian citizens and increases the risk of stigmatization and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.
