Georgia’s parliament passed a draft legislation on Tuesday that limits LGBTQ+ rights, resembling laws enacted in Russia. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, introduced the bill earlier this year. It prohibits same-sex marriages, adoption by same-sex couples, gender-affirming care, public support for LGBTQ+ relationships, and depictions of LGBTQ+ individuals in the media. Russia has also implemented similar restrictions over the past decade, including bans on endorsing “nontraditional sexual relations” and gender-affirming care, among other measures. The Russian Supreme Court went further by declaring LGBTQ+ activism as extremist and outlawing it.
Georgian Dream’s new initiative follows the recent adoption of the controversial “foreign influence” law, which garnered criticism for potentially impeding democratic freedoms and jeopardizing Georgia’s EU aspirations. This legislation has triggered protests in Georgia due to concerns that it echoes Moscow’s policies.