Georgia's parliament passes bill restricting LGBT rights

Georgia lawmakers on September 17 approved a bill on “family values ​​and protection of minors,” which imposes a wide range of restrictions on the LGBT community.

Protesters for LGBT rights in Tbilisi, Georgia. (Source: AP)

The bill would provide the government with a legal basis to restrict Pride events (the annual LGBT parade), the LGBT rainbow flag in public places, as well as stricter censorship of related films and books.

According to Dream party leaders, this is necessary to protect traditional moral standards in Georgia, where the conservative Orthodox Church has a deep influence.

Activists say the bill is aimed at boosting support for the government ahead of parliamentary elections on October 26.

The bill would reinforce existing bans on same-sex marriage and gender reassignment surgery, potentially forcing her organization to close, according to Tbilisi Pride director Tamara Jakeli.

“The bill is the most terrible thing that has ever happened to the LGBT community in Georgia,” said Director Jakeli.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has vowed to block the bill. However, her Dream party and its allies currently have enough seats in parliament to override the president's veto.

LGBT rights are a sensitive topic in Georgia, where, in addition to the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, many people also oppose same-sex relationships. In recent years, participants in Tbilisi's annual Pride parade have been attacked by anti-LGBT protesters.

The issue has come to the fore ahead of the October 2024 elections, when the Georgian Dream party is running for a fourth consecutive term and has waged a vigorous campaign against LGBT rights.

The bill can only be blocked if the Dream party loses the October 2024 election, although opposition parties are not fully supportive of LGBT rights, said Tamara Jakeli, director of Tbilisi Pride.

“The only way we can survive and make progress for LGBT rights is to turn out in large numbers and vote for change,” says Tamara Jakel.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/quoc-hoi-georgia-thong-qua-du-luat-han-che-quyen-cua-cong-dong-lgbt-286736.html