In a move that mirrors legislation in neighboring Russia, the speaker of the Georgian parliament signed into law a bill that severely restricts LGBTQ+ rights in the country. The legislation, introduced by the governing Georgian Dream party and approved by lawmakers, includes bans on same-sex marriages, adoptions by same-sex couples, public endorsement of LGBTQ+ relations in the media, and gender-affirming care.
The bill, which was returned to parliament by President Salome Zourabichvili before being signed, has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from human rights advocates and LGBTQ+ activists. The law has been viewed as an attempt by the governing party to appeal to conservative groups in the lead-up to a parliamentary election.
