The Situa*on of LGBT+ Human Rights Defenders and Ac*vists in Georgia

The Wri>en Input for OSCE/ODIHR prepared by TBILISI PRIDE

19.09.2023

Protec(ng human rights and engaging in ac(vist work in Georgia can be quite perilous.
Ac(vists opera(ng within non-governmental organiza(ons or independently in Georgia
encounter numerous challenges, including discredita(on, physical or verbal assaults, and
in(mida(on, among others.

In 2021, an extensive study of the needs of human rights defenders was conducted by Sapari
and Human Rights House, with support from the European Union. This study aimed to iden(fy
the threats, risks, and needs encountered by Georgian human rights defenders. The data
revealed that the most frequently reported threats by human rights defenders included online
harassment/bullying (67 cases), fundraising campaigns (58 cases), police indifference when
criminal ac(ons were taken against human rights defenders (54 cases), pressure on family
members (37 cases), and physical aVacks on the street (such as bea(ngs and insults) (35
cases).1

The study aimed to iden(fy the categories of human rights defenders facing the highest level
of danger in Georgia. All of the respondents (100%) believed that LGBT+ human rights
defenders are at the greatest risk. Following them are defenders of women's rights (61%),
human rights defenders of religious minori(es (50%), defenders of ethnic minori(es (28%),
advocates for the rights of drug addicts (24%), and a smaller percentage, 16%, men(oned that
defenders of civil rights in general face danger.

The men(oned study offers interes(ng and noteworthy observa(ons and conclusions.
However, the situa(on has significantly deteriorated in this regard since 2021. This applies to
both LGBT+ human rights defenders and civil ac(vists, as well as leaders in the non-
governmental sector.

In this document, given our specializa(on, we place greater emphasis on the situa(on of
LGBT+ human rights defenders and ac(vists.

Increased an*-LGBT+ Rhetoric by High-Ranking Officials and Poli*cians

Recently, there has been a significant increase in openly homophobic rhetoric, an(-LGBT+
disinforma(on, propaganda, and discredi(ng campaigns by the ruling party Georgian Dream,
their proxy groups, and pro-government media.

It intensified in March 2023 when the Prime Minister and other leaders of the ruling party,
Georgian Dream, began ac(vely engaging in an(-LGBT+ rhetoric. They publicly aVacked Tbilisi

1
The Study of the Needs of Human Rights Defenders in Georgia, 2021
Pride, discussed the perceived dangers of "LGBT Propaganda," and voiced the need for
legisla(ve measures to address this issue.

• March 12, 2023: One of the first such statements was made by Prime Minister Irakli
Gharibashvili. He linked the 2023 Tbilisi March Protests (against the Foreign Influence
Agent Bill) to "destructive, anarchist, and extremist forces" when he spoke to TV Imedi
immediately after the withdrawal of the Foreign Influence Agent Bill.
The PM attempted to explain the purpose of the proposed piece that backfired in the
following manner: "These organizations have received hundreds of millions of dollars
in funding. For example, among them is the well-known destructive “Shame
Movement” which is financed by foreign organizations, and they demanded the
resignation of the government and me. We also know about the provocative
movement "Tbilisi Pride", which planned to hold highly provocative parades. "EMC"
(today's Center for Social Justice) - an organization that serves to steer up the strife,
"ISFED" (International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy) that presented fake
data of parallel counting during the elections, etc. Our task was to find out what their
activities serve."
• May 4, 2023: PM Irakli Gharibashvili spoke at the annual Conservative Political Action
Conference in Budapest. “How do the forces opposed to freedom and truth try to
achieve their goals? Through the destruction of traditional family values and the
appeal to false freedom — such as, LGBT propaganda and trying to legalize sex change
for children… to impose so-called “innovations” that tear people away from their
roots, family, traditions, culture and history…”
• May 9, 2023: Party of European Socialists (PES) condemned PM Gharibashvili’s
statements voiced during the CPAC in Budapest and stated that PES would reconsider
their partnership with the ruling Georgian Dream party. The PM responded to PES’s
criticism as follows: “It turns out that the statements I made are unacceptable -
that LGBT propaganda in children, schools, and kindergartens is impermissible and
that this unbridled, aggressive propaganda regarding gender and sex reassignment is
unacceptable. If someone does not want to cooperate with our political party, the
ruling power, that is their wish, and we will review our cooperation with them
accordingly.”
• June 12, 2023: I believe that every person has his rights. It is a person's right to choose
a lifestyle. We do not interfere in anyone's work or personal life. This is absolutely
unacceptable. But on the other hand, the extreme propaganda that is in kindergartens
and already in schools abroad is absolutely unacceptable to me. Thank God, this will
not happen to us. We will protect it, we must oppose it, because it is not allowed, it is
unacceptable to promote it in schools, kindergartens and young people.”
• The chairman of the ruling party Georgian Dream and the Member of the Parliament,
Irakli Kobakhidze on June 10, 2023: As an act of protest, students threw Russian
rubles at Kobakhidze as he was coming down the stairs at Tbilisi State University. In
response to this incident, Kobakhidze stated that the students involved in the incident
have “mixed [sexual] orientation”. Kobakhidze further added: “Our goal should be to
save these young people. I think it is possible to save them, I am sure that it is possible
to put their orientation on the right track. Their orientation is all messed up. I think
these people need to be put on the right track, boys need to get wives, girls need to
 get husbands, reproduce, etc. All their orientations, starting from political, should be
corrected, this is our task…we will do everything to save these young people”.
• Mamuka Mdinaradze, Georgian Dream Executive Secretary in March, 2023: “The
separation of advocacy and protection of rights is a very serious issue. It is necessary
to distinguish between LGBT propaganda and protection of the rights of LGBT
representatives. As it turned out, in a study of a very reputable organization,
propaganda brings such results that because of it the number of LGBT adherents can
increase,” Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of Georgian Dream, says in the
story.

These are some examples of homophobic statements, but the full list is longer.

Simultaneously, on July 2, 2023, the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate issued a statement in

response to Tbilisi Pride Week, scheduled for July 1-8, calling for legislative action against "the
attempts to promote a perverse lifestyle."

All of this set the stage for July 8, 2023, when the Tbilisi Pride Fes(val was scheduled to take
place but ul(mately did not occur.

Violent disrup*on of Tbilisi Pride Fes*val on July 8, 2023, and the Right to Peaceful
Assembly

On July 8th, Tbilisi Pride had planned to hold the Pride Fes(val at an out-of-town private
fes(val site. On that day, a mob of several thousand extremists, organized by the Russia-linked
group "Alt-Info," aVacked the event while up to 40 LGBT+ organizers, ac(vists, and volunteers
were preparing to open the fes(val doors. Tbilisi Pride strongly believes that this aVack and
the disrup(on of the fes(val were coordinated with the government of Georgia.

Here are some reasons:

• The police did not make any aVempts to stop the aggressors.
• Instead, the police walked alongside the mob, even appearing to assist them and
indica(ng which way to go.
• The police did not deploy water cannons or tear gas to halt the violent groups.
• The police allowed the mob to breach the fes(val site, while peaceful aVendees were
forcefully evacuated.
• Aker our evacua(on, the alt-right group occupied the fes(val grounds, staying there
for hours, damaging and selng fire to our property. Shockingly, the police watched
this unfold without detaining any of the perpetrators.
• To our disbelief, we witnessed police officers and violent individuals sharing drinks,
including champagne, and celebra(ng their success on the very premises where we
had planned to organize the Pride Fes(val in just a few hours.

This is the latest, but not the only, aVack on LGBT+ human rights defenders and ac(vists. For
years, the government has failed to fulfill its posi(ve commitments regarding freedom of
assembly. It does not ensure the enjoyment of freedom of assembly for members of the LGBT+
community and human rights defenders.

Instead of offering assistance and encouragement to human rights defenders, the Georgian
government oken discredits them and infringes upon their rights. A clear example of this is
the government's persistent indifference toward members of the LGBT+ community and its
failure to support ac(vists and human rights defenders.

In par(cular, on July 5, 2021, ultra-na(onalist hate groups in Tbilisi violently disrupted the
"March of Dignity" planned by Tbilisi Pride, ransacked the office of Tbilisi Pride, aVacked
members and supporters of the LGBT+ community, and media representa(ves.

The authori(es of Georgia did not ensure that the "March of Dignity" was held in a peaceful
environment, did not take appropriate preven(ve measures for the safety of LGBT+
community members and ac(vists, media representa(ves, and did not implement effec(ve
measures to prevent violence on the ground during the development of the events, despite
the fact that the organizers of the march warned the authori(es about the expected
aggression and the hate groups themselves had publicly announced their plans to disrupt the
march in advance. The authori(es not only did not take appropriate steps to support the
LGBT+ community, ac(vists and human rights defenders, but, according to the Georgian
Democracy Ini(a(ve (GDI), "[the government] itself encouraged violence with homophobic
and an(-democra(c statements directed against the "March of Dignity".

In addi*on, up to this moment, the state has not granted vic*m status to the pride
organizers who became the vic*ms of July 5th, 2021 violence. In par*cular, the prosecutor's
office does not issue a decision on gran*ng status, and the court does not consider a
complaint due to the absence of the status.

Human rights defenders and ac(vists are arguing in the Strasbourg court about gross rights
viola(ons during the events of July 5, 2021.

Recommenda*ons for the government

• Refrain from initiating or adopting any legislation with ambiguous or controversial

character that could potentially restrict the freedom of speech and expression of
LGBT+ individuals, activists, human rights defenders, or any other citizens.
• Cease immediately from engaging in homophobic and anti-LGBT rhetoric and hate
speech.
• Ensure a thorough and effective investigation into the violent events that occurred
on July 8th, 2023.
• Ensure a comprehensive and effective investigation into the events of July 5th, 2021,
including granting victim status to Pride organizers.
• Incorporate issues pertaining to the rights of human rights defenders into the
Human Rights Action Plan currently under development.
• Ensure the involvement of civil society organizations in the formulation of the
Human Rights Action Plan.
• Ensure the protection of the right to peaceful assembly of LGBT+ activists and
human rights defenders in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia and
international agreements.