Rights committee chair accuses opposition figure of discrimination against people with disabilities

The chair of Georgia’s parliamentary Human Rights Committee has accused an opposition figure of using discriminatory language against people with disabilities, warning of potential political consequences.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Rati Ionatamishvili criticised remarks made by Nika Gvaramia, describing them as offensive and harmful.

Ionatamishvili said the use of autism in an insulting context constitutes discrimination on the grounds of disability and contributes to social stigma. He added that such rhetoric amounted to “political hypocrisy,” particularly when associated with pro-European messaging.

The MP also claimed that this was not the first instance of such language by Gvaramia, accusing him of repeatedly using what he described as hate speech.

He further contrasted current policies with previous periods, arguing that earlier governments had failed to invest in accessibility, inclusive education, and support for para-athletes, while saying improvements have since been made.