Georgia's antidiscrimination law opposed by church comes into effect
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 7 May 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Georgia's antidiscrimination law opposed by church comes into effect, 7 May 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/53a13886b.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 07, 2014
By RFE/RL's Georgian Service
Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia says the legalization of "illegality is a huge sin" and it will be rejected by believers.
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has signed an antidiscrimination bill into law.
The law went into force after it was published on the state online registry of legal acts on May 7.
Meanwhile, on May 6, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Ilia II, said of the bill that the legalization of "illegality is a huge sin" and it will be rejected by believers, as it includes "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" on the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.
The legislation was adopted by lawmakers on May 2.
Adoption of the antidiscrimination law is one of the requirements that Georgia has undertaken under its Visa Liberalization Action Plan in order to be granted short-term visa-free regime by the European Union.
With reporting by civil.ge
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
