Georgia - June 2024

The “On Protection of Family Values and Minors” bill and related amendments unanimously passed the first reading in parliament on 27 June, even as opposition MPs continued to boycott parliament following the contentious passage of the ‘Foreign Agents’ law in May 2024. The package of laws would outlaw vaguely-defined “LGBT propaganda” in public, schools and mass media, as well as prevent LGBTQIA+ people from adopting children and ban both gender-affirming medical care and legal gender transitions. The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe found the bill did not comply with Georgia’s international human rights and legal commitments and urged the government to “reconsider this legislative proposal entirely and to not proceed with its adoption.” Despite boycotting parliament, opposition parties have not condemned the bill, with a United National Movement MP calling it “a distraction” and For Georgia MP Mikheil Daushvili saying “we oppose propaganda directed at children, especially LGBT propaganda.”

Sources: OC Media, Civil.ge, Council of Europe, International IDEA