**Georgia’s Human Rights Situation Worsens, Says ILGA-Europe**
A recent report by ILGA-Europe, a leading LGBTI rights organization, paints a bleak picture of the human rights situation in Georgia. The report highlights an escalating crackdown on freedoms, rising discrimination, and increasing migration driven by fear and insecurity.
**Controversial Laws Cause Concern**
The report focuses on two contentious laws: the foreign agents’ law and the anti-LGBT law. These laws threaten the availability of services for LGBTI individuals and have led to a deterioration in trust and safety within the community. The organization argues that registering under the foreign agents’ law would legitimize government overreach, while the anti-LGBT law has eroded trust and made it difficult for LGBTI individuals to seek out services.
**LGBTI Migration on the Rise**
The report notes that LGBTI Georgians are fleeing the country in increasing numbers, with community organizations reporting a significant increase in asylum seekers. However, ILGA-Europe expresses concern that some EU countries still classify Georgia as a “safe country,” making it harder for LGBTI individuals to secure asylum.
**Rising Hate Speech and Bias-Motivated Violence**
The report highlights the prevalence of anti-LGBTI rhetoric and hate speech within Georgian politics. The Prime Minister has compared liberals to Bolsheviks, while ruling party members frequently link LGBTQ+ rights to Western influence as part of a larger nationalist narrative. This has contributed to an environment where violence against LGBTI individuals has worsened.
**Education Restrictions and Institutional Discrimination**
The report condemns the anti-LGBTI law for banning educational content on gender and sexuality. ILGA-Europe warns that this will create an unsafe environment for LGBTI students, deprive them of comprehensive sex education, and increase bullying and harassment.
**Georgia’s Foreign Policy Shift and EU Concerns**
The report highlights Georgia’s worsening relationship with the West, citing the European Commission’s low rating of Georgia’s alignment with EU foreign policy. The organization notes that the sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili for undermining Georgia’s democratic trajectory have further strained relations between Georgia and the EU.
**Freedom of Expression Under Threat**
The report emphasizes how the anti-LGBTI law imposes severe restrictions on freedom of expression, including a ban on materials perceived as “popularization” of same-sex relationships or gender transition. This has raised concerns among artists, writers, and academics who fear that their work will be severely limited due to censorship.
**Impact on LGBTI Health and Well-being**
The report notes the serious health implications of these policies, warning that they exacerbate stigma and hinder access to essential health services for LGBTI individuals.
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