The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has strongly urged Georgia to fight against discrimination and hate crime in the country, in line with its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Committee of Ministers adopted an Interim Resolution in ‘the Identoba and Others’ group of cases against Georgia during its quarterly meeting to supervise the implementation of rulings from the European Court of Human Rights.
“These cases concern the authorities’ failure to provide adequate protection from homophobic or religiously-motivated attacks, and in some instances, official acquiescence, connivance or participation in acts motivated by prejudice.
They also concern the authorities’ failure to ensure freedom of assembly for LGBTI people and freedom of religion for religious minorities.
Meeting this week, the Committee of Ministers again strongly urged the Georgian authorities to accelerate and complete all renewed investigations and trial proceedings in these cases, in line with the European Court’s findings.
The Committee deeply deplored Georgia’s enactment of the Law on “Protecting Family Values and Minors” and called upon the authorities to repeal this law. According to the Committee, it represents a backward step in the execution of these judgments and raises serious questions about Georgia’s compliance with its obligation to implement the European Court’s rulings.
The Committee of Ministers strongly exhorted the authorities to renounce discriminatory narrative and unequivocally fight all forms of discrimination, hate speech and hate crime.
In addition, the Committee strongly urged the authorities to guarantee freedom of assembly and religion for all individuals, without discrimination, through enhanced protection and prevention measures as well as a firm criminal justice response to hate-motivated violence,” reads the statement.
The Committee of Ministers asked the authorities to provide detailed information on these issues by the end of June 2025 at the latest.
Background on the Legislation
In September 2024, the Georgian Parliament passed a law purportedly aimed at protecting “family values and minors.” Critics argue that its vague language equates consensual same-sex relationships with offenses like incest, thereby perpetuating negative stereotypes and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. The law has been condemned for potentially increasing hate speech and violent hate crimes.
International Reactions
The law’s passage has elicited widespread international criticism:
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European Union: A spokesperson condemned the “rushed adoption” of the bill, stating it undermines fundamental rights and could strain EU-Georgia relations. The EU is considering revoking Georgia’s visa-free travel privileges as a consequence.
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United States: Sanctions have been imposed on certain Georgian parliament members involved in the bill’s passage.
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Germany: The Foreign Ministry urged Georgia to withdraw the legislation, warning it could harm the country’s EU membership aspirations.
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Venice Commission: This advisory body of the Council of Europe recommended halting the legislation, stating it contradicts European and international standards and could foster a hostile environment against LGBTQ+ individuals.
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United Nations: The UN Human Rights Office expressed concern that the law’s vague formulations perpetuate negative stereotypes and could lead to increased hate crimes.
