Georgia Passes New Restrictive Laws Against Homosexuals

Lawmakers in Georgia have paved the way for new restrictive laws against the rights of sexual and gender minorities by banning cultural events such as their annual parade known as the 'Pride Parade.' This law prohibits gatherings promoting the concept that an individual identifies and is recognized as a gender other than their 'biological sex.' The bill was presented by the ruling party 'Georgian Dream' and passed with 84 votes in favor, with no representatives voting against it. The legal amendment package, presented under the title 'Family Values and Protection of Minors,' has made changes to 18 existing laws, including those concerning freedom of expression and media, referred to as 'reforms.' A group of protesters gathered on Monday, September 18, in front of the Parliament building in downtown Tbilisi, holding signs stating that these changes ignore the real problems faced by Georgian families. The 'Foreign Agents' law; the Georgian Parliament annulled the president's veto. After the passage of the 'Foreign Agents' bill in the Parliament, it became one of the most controversial laws passed in Georgia targeting sexual and gender minorities. The 'Foreign Agents' law, known as the 'Russian Law' due to its similarity to legislation enacted by the Kremlin to further repress dissent and freedom of expression, restricts the activities of media and human rights organizations funded from abroad in the country. Its passage led to weeks of protests in Georgia and drew criticism from various countries, but after the veto of this law by Salome Zourabichvili, the President, the legal committee of Parliament, controlled by the 'Georgian Dream' party, annulled her veto. The United States and other Western countries expressed concern over the passage of this law, as it requires organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as 'foreign agents.' Despite the passage of these controversial laws, polls indicate that the 'Georgian Dream' party remains the most popular party in the country.