Georgian Legal Committee endorses bill targeting “LGBT propaganda”

The legal committee of the Georgian parliament on Thursday endorsed draft constitutional amendments that aim, what the ruling Georgian Dream party claims is “LGBT propaganda” in the country. 

The committee’s decision moves the amendments to a vote in the first reading.

The proposed changes include an addition to Article 3 of the Georgian Constitution: “Protection of family values and minors is ensured by the Constitutional Law of Georgia, which is an integral part of the Constitution of Georgia.” This amendment is designed to pave the way for a new constitutional law, a move supported by 83 members of the parliamentary majority.

The draft law seeks to reflect sentiments expressed by former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who stated in a May 4, 2023 parliamentary speech, “mother is a woman, father is a man.” The draft includes the clause: “Any decision of a public authority or a private person that directly or indirectly restricts the use of concepts defined by gender is invalid”.

Given that the ruling Georgian Dream party does not hold a constitutional majority, it is also pushing for a package of bills initiated on June 10, titled “On Family Values and Protection of Minors.” These bills proposed changes to 18 additional laws, including the Law of Georgia “On Freedom of Speech and Expression,” specifically Article 9.

Current legislation allows for the regulation of speech and expression in cases such as defamation, face-to-face insults, incitement to crime, and obscenity. However, the proposed amendments will make it impermissible to “publicly hold such a gathering and/or demonstration aimed at promoting a person’s identification with a gender different from his or her biological sex, sexual orientation between representatives of the same biological sex, or incest.”

Furthermore, the amendments to the Broadcasting law will require broadcasters to avoid airing advertisements and information that promote LGBT “relationships and incest.” Additionally, any footage depicting LGBT sex and incest will be banned from television.