ANTI-HUMAN RIGHTS
Alim Kheraj
Thu 3 October 2024
An anti-LGBTQ+ protest in the Georgian capital Tbilisi in 2021
(Image: Wikimedia Commons)
The speaker of the Georgian parliament has today (3 October) signed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law only 24 hours after the country’s president refused to do so.
The so-called ‘Protection of Family Values and Minors’ bill, which was first introduced by the governing Georgian Dream party and approved by parliament last month, bans marriage equality, LGBTQ+ adoption, the depiction and promotion of LGBTQ+ relationships and people in the media, gender affirming care, and the ability for individuals to change their gender identity on official documents.
Yesterday (2 October), Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, whose role is mostly ceremonial, decided not to sign the bill into legislation, with a spokesperson telling the news agency AFP that she had returned it to parliament, where the speaker then signed it into law.
“The law…does not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies” – Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian parliament speaker
The speaker of the Georgian parliament has today (3 October) signed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law only 24 hours after the country’s president refused to do so.
The so-called ‘Protection of Family Values and Minors’ bill, which was first introduced by the governing Georgian Dream party and approved by parliament last month, bans marriage equality, LGBTQ+ adoption, the depiction and promotion of LGBTQ+ relationships and people in the media, gender affirming care, and the ability for individuals to change their gender identity on official documents.
Yesterday (2 October), Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, whose role is mostly ceremonial, decided not to sign the bill into legislation, with a spokesperson telling the news agency AFP that she had returned it to parliament, where the speaker then signed it into law.
“The law…does not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies” – Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian parliament speaker
According to Aljazeera, the Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, told local media that Zourabichvili had failed families and children.
He said: “The fact that Salome Zourabichvili did not stand on the side of protecting traditional and family values, not on the side of protecting the interests of minors, but on the side of pseudo-liberal propaganda, once again shows what political choice this person made and what forces [she] is governed by.”
In a post on Facebook, Shalva Papuashvili, the parliament speaker, also criticised Zourabichvili’s decision, adding: “The law, which I am signing, does not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies, but is based on common sense, historical experience, and centuries-old Christian, Georgian and European values.”
“This law protects the rights of all citizens, including freedom of expression, so that the rights of others are not violated, which is the essence and idea of true democracy,” he wrote.
The new law, which will come into play in 60 days, has been compared to similar legislation enacted in Russia, with LGBTQ+ activist groups arguing that it further marginalises the country’s queer community.
It comes amid rising violence against the country’s LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, a Pride parade in the capital Tbilisi was cancelled following a targeted attack against organisers, activists and journalists. A similar violent anti-LGBTQ+ protest took place during the city’s Pride event last year.
Likewise, the day after the bill was initially approved by the Georgian parliament, a 37-year-old trans woman, Kesaria Abramidze, was murdered in her home.
In a statement released after Abramidze’s murder, the Social Justice Center, a Tbilisi-based human rights group, said: “There is a direct correlation between the use of hate speech in politics and hate crimes.”
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Silveresc
The post Georgian parliament speaker signs anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law after president refuses appeared first on Attitude.
Georgian parliament approves anti-LGBTQ+ law despite president’s refusal to sign
Alice Linehan
Thu 3 October 2024 a
This article is about a new Georgian anti-LGBTQ+ bill. The image is of the Georgian flag. Dmitry Limonov via Pexels
Georgian parliamentary speaker, Shalva Papuashvili, has signed an anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law after the country’s president refused to do so. The Russian-style legislation includes bans on same-sex marriage, gender-affirming care and depictions of LGBTQ+ identities in media, while also providing a legal basis for authorities to outlaw Pride events and displays of the rainbow flag.
In a Facebook post published on Thursday, October 3, Papuashvili confirmed that he signed the bill, saying that it does “not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies, but is based on common sense, historical experience and centuries-old Christian, Georgian and European values.” He also claimed that the law “protects the rights of all citizens, including freedom of expression, so that the rights of others are not violated, which is the essence and idea of true democracy.”
Meanwhile, speaking about the legislation last month, Director of Tbilisi Pride Tamara Jakeli told Reuters it “is the most terrible thing to happen to the LGBT community”.
She added: “We will most likely have to shut down. There is no way for us to continue functioning.”
The bill was first introduced by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, earlier this year and passed by parliament on September 17 with 84 out of 150 members voting in favour. It was then sent to President Salome Zourabichvili for approval, but as someone who is critical of the ruling party and has a pro-EU stance, she refused to sign it. Thus, the bill was returned to parliament, where the ruling party and its allies have enough seats to override her, as the president’s powers are mostly ceremonial.
The passing of this anti-LGBTQ+ law comes ahead of October’s elections, where Georgian Dream is seeking a fourth term in office. The party’s campaign has heavily focused on cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights in a supposed effort to protect “traditional values”, a strategy which many suspect aims to increase support among conservative voters.
It is also reminiscent of methods used in Russia, as Georgian Dream continues to deepen its ties with the Kremlin. Earlier this year, an anti-NGO law on “foreign agents” was passed, triggering mass anti-government protests around the country.
The post Georgian parliament approves anti-LGBTQ+ law despite president’s refusal to sign appeared first on GCN.
Georgian president refuses to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law
Beatrice Fanucci
Wed 2 October 2024
Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili has reportedly refused to sign off on an anti-LGBTQ+ bill that is reminiscent of measures adopted in neighbouring Russia.
Passed in Parliament on September 17 with 84 out of 150 votes in favour, the bill includes bans on same-sex marriage, adoption by same-sex couples, gender-affirming care and depictions of LGBTQ+ identities in the media. It also provides a legal basis for authorities to outlaw Pride events and displays of the rainbow flag.
The anti-LGBTQ+ bill was introduced by the ruling party Georgian Dream earlier this year ahead of October’s elections, where the party is seeking a fourth term in office. Activists have stated that the proposed legislation aims to boost their conservative support.
The ruling party’s election campaign has heavily focused on cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights in a supposed effort to protect “traditional values”, a strategy reminiscent of the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric employed by the Kremlin. In recent months, Georgian Dream has deepened its ties with the Kremlin, also passing an anti-NGO law on “foreign agents” earlier this year, which triggered mass anti-government protests around the country.
To become law, the anti-LGBTQ+ bill needs to be signed by the President of Georgia, who has been a vocal critic of Georgian Dream and has a pro-EU stance. As reported on Wednesday, October 2, President Zourabichvili has declined to sign the bill.
“The president did not sign the bill into law. Nor did she veto the measure. She just refused to sign the bill and returned it to parliament. Our laws provide for such a procedure,” a presidential administration official told TASS.
However, the ruling party and its allies have enough seats in Parliament to override her, and the President’s powers are mostly ceremonial. It is thus expected that the bill will be signed into law by parliament’s speaker and its co-sponsor Shalva Papuashvili.
Georgia is currently a candidate for EU membership, but Brussels has repeatedly warned the nation that such legislation demonstrates a lack of commitment to its stated ambition of joining the Union. Commenting on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill last month, the EU stated that it “undermines fundamental rights of Georgians and risks further stigmatisation and discrimination of part of the population”.
The statement added that adopting such measures would have “important repercussions” on Georgia’s European integration path and “place further strain on EU-Georgia relations.”
The post Georgian president refuses to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law appeared first on GCN.
Alice Linehan
Thu 3 October 2024 a
This article is about a new Georgian anti-LGBTQ+ bill. The image is of the Georgian flag. Dmitry Limonov via Pexels
Georgian parliamentary speaker, Shalva Papuashvili, has signed an anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law after the country’s president refused to do so. The Russian-style legislation includes bans on same-sex marriage, gender-affirming care and depictions of LGBTQ+ identities in media, while also providing a legal basis for authorities to outlaw Pride events and displays of the rainbow flag.
In a Facebook post published on Thursday, October 3, Papuashvili confirmed that he signed the bill, saying that it does “not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies, but is based on common sense, historical experience and centuries-old Christian, Georgian and European values.” He also claimed that the law “protects the rights of all citizens, including freedom of expression, so that the rights of others are not violated, which is the essence and idea of true democracy.”
Meanwhile, speaking about the legislation last month, Director of Tbilisi Pride Tamara Jakeli told Reuters it “is the most terrible thing to happen to the LGBT community”.
She added: “We will most likely have to shut down. There is no way for us to continue functioning.”
The bill was first introduced by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, earlier this year and passed by parliament on September 17 with 84 out of 150 members voting in favour. It was then sent to President Salome Zourabichvili for approval, but as someone who is critical of the ruling party and has a pro-EU stance, she refused to sign it. Thus, the bill was returned to parliament, where the ruling party and its allies have enough seats to override her, as the president’s powers are mostly ceremonial.
The passing of this anti-LGBTQ+ law comes ahead of October’s elections, where Georgian Dream is seeking a fourth term in office. The party’s campaign has heavily focused on cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights in a supposed effort to protect “traditional values”, a strategy which many suspect aims to increase support among conservative voters.
It is also reminiscent of methods used in Russia, as Georgian Dream continues to deepen its ties with the Kremlin. Earlier this year, an anti-NGO law on “foreign agents” was passed, triggering mass anti-government protests around the country.
The post Georgian parliament approves anti-LGBTQ+ law despite president’s refusal to sign appeared first on GCN.
Georgian president refuses to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law
Beatrice Fanucci
Wed 2 October 2024
Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili has reportedly refused to sign off on an anti-LGBTQ+ bill that is reminiscent of measures adopted in neighbouring Russia.
Passed in Parliament on September 17 with 84 out of 150 votes in favour, the bill includes bans on same-sex marriage, adoption by same-sex couples, gender-affirming care and depictions of LGBTQ+ identities in the media. It also provides a legal basis for authorities to outlaw Pride events and displays of the rainbow flag.
The anti-LGBTQ+ bill was introduced by the ruling party Georgian Dream earlier this year ahead of October’s elections, where the party is seeking a fourth term in office. Activists have stated that the proposed legislation aims to boost their conservative support.
The ruling party’s election campaign has heavily focused on cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights in a supposed effort to protect “traditional values”, a strategy reminiscent of the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric employed by the Kremlin. In recent months, Georgian Dream has deepened its ties with the Kremlin, also passing an anti-NGO law on “foreign agents” earlier this year, which triggered mass anti-government protests around the country.
To become law, the anti-LGBTQ+ bill needs to be signed by the President of Georgia, who has been a vocal critic of Georgian Dream and has a pro-EU stance. As reported on Wednesday, October 2, President Zourabichvili has declined to sign the bill.
“The president did not sign the bill into law. Nor did she veto the measure. She just refused to sign the bill and returned it to parliament. Our laws provide for such a procedure,” a presidential administration official told TASS.
However, the ruling party and its allies have enough seats in Parliament to override her, and the President’s powers are mostly ceremonial. It is thus expected that the bill will be signed into law by parliament’s speaker and its co-sponsor Shalva Papuashvili.
Georgia is currently a candidate for EU membership, but Brussels has repeatedly warned the nation that such legislation demonstrates a lack of commitment to its stated ambition of joining the Union. Commenting on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill last month, the EU stated that it “undermines fundamental rights of Georgians and risks further stigmatisation and discrimination of part of the population”.
The statement added that adopting such measures would have “important repercussions” on Georgia’s European integration path and “place further strain on EU-Georgia relations.”
The post Georgian president refuses to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law appeared first on GCN.
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