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CONCERNS LINGER ABOUT SEXUAL MINORITY RIGHTS IN GEORGIA
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, Italy
May 30 2014
Onnik Krikorian | Tbilisi
Following last year's rampage by conservatives targeting LGBT activists
intent on marking 17 May as the International Day Against Homophobia
and Transphobia (IDAHOT), the Georgian Orthodox Church this year
instead declared the day as one celebrating family unity. And while
civil society did not take the attempt to hijack IDAHOT lying down,
some are concerned that this is just the start
In yet another blow to gay rights in Georgia, there was no marking
of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT)
in Tbilisi this year. In a statement released by IDENTOBA, an NGO
working on LGBT issues in the country, the environment was considered
too dangerous to hold any events following the violence that erupted a
year earlier. Instead, in what activists saw as an implied threat of
additional violence and confrontation, the Georgian Orthodox Church
declared 17 May to be the "Day of Families and Parents."
"Unfortunately, LGBT activists are unable to organise or plan any
counter protest to this absurd situation due to security reasons and
state's inability to ensure their safety," IDENTOBA's statement read.
"Until now, neither we, nor other human rights actors, have been able
to meet with the representatives of the police to discuss security
concerns for that day. It is expected that not only the streets of
Tbilisi will be dangerous for LGBT individuals [...]"
Meanwhile, the premier of a gay comedy film made in Georgia originally
planned for the same day as IDAHOT was postponed. "We took the very
painful and adverse decision not to present 'We Are Mad' on May 17,
2014," Democracy & Freedom Watch quoted the director, Otar MIkeladze,
as saying. "The premiere will be held when Georgia becomes an European
country."
National values
In neighbouring Azerbaijan, the situation was different with the Nefes
Azerbaijan Alliance holding a LGBT 'rainbow flag' flashmob, although
the head of the nationalist Karabakh Liberation Organisation, Akif
Tagi, did accuse the group, as well as the Embassy of the Netherlands,
of 'enmity' against the country. Meanwhile, In Armenia, leading LGBT
organisation PINK Armenia held no events, but did issue a statement
alleging 'state sponsored intolerance and discrimination.' However,
the situation in Georgia is of most concern especially with the
signing of its EU Association Agreement set for 27 June.
The counter-event, announced by Georgian Patriarch Ilia II and
attended by many hundreds of believers, was also used to protest the
recent passage of anti-discrimination legislation required as part
of Georgia's Visa Liberalisation Action Plan with the European Union.
Ironically, gay rights activists already consider the law, which was
adopted on 2 May and came into effect five days later, as watered
down in its second reading following criticism from the Church. "The
legalisation of illegality is a very serious sin," the Patriarch
declared. "There are issues which can not be allowed."
A petition to call for the removal of references to sexual orientation
and gender identity in the law was also launched on 17 May, something
that could resonate positively among a large number of Georgians.
According to the results of an opinion poll released by the National
Democratic Institute (NDI) earlier this month, while 73 and 79 percent
of respondents said that they believed the protection of religious
and ethnic minority rights was important, only 24 percent said the
same for sexual minorities.
And in a survey held by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC)
following the violence on 17 May last year, 50 percent of respondents
felt "physical violence can be acceptable towards those people or
groups who endanger national values." Only 46 percent disagreed,
with 57 percent believing that a "successful, peaceful celebration
of IDAHOT would have endangered Georgia."
The invisibles
But if the Church's influence in a highly traditional society
appears to have achieved its aim, civil society did not shy away
from counter-actions. The next day, for example, 100 pairs of shoes
appeared on the street adjacent to Tbilisi's Freedom Square 'on behalf
of the invisible and against invisibility.'
"Today, these empty shoes stand instead of those humans, who dared,
one year ago, to stand up against the invisibility of one social group,
the LGBTQ community, those who tried to unmask how merciless we are
[...]," the organisers of the action wrote. "This is a protest for the
invisible and against invisibility. Despite that fact that we couldn't
yet manage to recognise and appreciate each other, we still exist,
with our desire to speak [...]. Turning a blind eye and covering
our ears won't erase our existence, won't smooth over our wounds,
and won't take away our ability to feel empathy and love."
And on 19 May, in a flashmob staged in the early hours of the morning,
steps next to the Freedom Square metro station were painted in the
colours of the LGBT rainbow flag while posters appeared throughout
the city. "I am here against homophobia," they read. "I cannot find
a reason to justify your hatred."
Hysteria
But despite the 'hit and run' tactics to protest homophobia in
society, the trend remains negative. Just days before IDAHOT,
the manager of the gay-friendly 'Cafe Gallery' posted an update on
Facebook alleging that police had visited the venue's premises to
demand the names, addresses, and phone numbers of staff members who
were members of Tbilisi's LGBT community. Meanwhile, on IDAHOT itself,
at the demonstration organised by the Church, believers openly accused
and displayed aggression towards anyone they suspected on appearance
alone of being gay or even 'different.'
As evidence of the hysteria emerging among some traditionally minded
Georgians, a scuffle even erupted between two homophobic males who
accused each other of being homosexual.
In such an environment, IDENTOBA's Irakli Vacharadze sees new threats
emerging in the future if the government does not adequately respond
to the potential dangers now. "The church is flexing its muscles and
sees the anti-discrimination law as taking away their right to freely
attack minorities," he told Osservatorio. "The danger is that this
rhetoric could give birth to independent -- even Neo-Nazi -- groups
that the church can't control. We have already seen anti-immigrant
groups emerge, but that could be just the beginning. The worst might
yet be to come."
And this could prove to be a major obstacle to the country's gradual
integration with Europe.
"It should be understood that the issue is not about so-called
propaganda for a certain lifestyle but about ensuring basic
rights to all human beings," Thomas Hammarberg, EU Special Adviser
on Constitutional and Legal Reform and Human Rights in Georgia,
wrote in a September 2013 report. But civil society activists such
as Vacharadze argue that the government is still not ready to tackle
this issue in earnest. The rainbow flag painted on the steps close
to the Liberty Square metro station is another example of that.
A week after it appeared, it was removed in what ostensibly appeared
to be construction work. IDENTOBA, along with many Georgian Facebook
users, remain unconvinced.
http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/All-the-news/Concerns-Linger-About-Sexual-Minority-Rights-in-Georgia-152682
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, Italy
May 30 2014
Onnik Krikorian | Tbilisi
Following last year's rampage by conservatives targeting LGBT activists
intent on marking 17 May as the International Day Against Homophobia
and Transphobia (IDAHOT), the Georgian Orthodox Church this year
instead declared the day as one celebrating family unity. And while
civil society did not take the attempt to hijack IDAHOT lying down,
some are concerned that this is just the start
In yet another blow to gay rights in Georgia, there was no marking
of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT)
in Tbilisi this year. In a statement released by IDENTOBA, an NGO
working on LGBT issues in the country, the environment was considered
too dangerous to hold any events following the violence that erupted a
year earlier. Instead, in what activists saw as an implied threat of
additional violence and confrontation, the Georgian Orthodox Church
declared 17 May to be the "Day of Families and Parents."
"Unfortunately, LGBT activists are unable to organise or plan any
counter protest to this absurd situation due to security reasons and
state's inability to ensure their safety," IDENTOBA's statement read.
"Until now, neither we, nor other human rights actors, have been able
to meet with the representatives of the police to discuss security
concerns for that day. It is expected that not only the streets of
Tbilisi will be dangerous for LGBT individuals [...]"
Meanwhile, the premier of a gay comedy film made in Georgia originally
planned for the same day as IDAHOT was postponed. "We took the very
painful and adverse decision not to present 'We Are Mad' on May 17,
2014," Democracy & Freedom Watch quoted the director, Otar MIkeladze,
as saying. "The premiere will be held when Georgia becomes an European
country."
National values
In neighbouring Azerbaijan, the situation was different with the Nefes
Azerbaijan Alliance holding a LGBT 'rainbow flag' flashmob, although
the head of the nationalist Karabakh Liberation Organisation, Akif
Tagi, did accuse the group, as well as the Embassy of the Netherlands,
of 'enmity' against the country. Meanwhile, In Armenia, leading LGBT
organisation PINK Armenia held no events, but did issue a statement
alleging 'state sponsored intolerance and discrimination.' However,
the situation in Georgia is of most concern especially with the
signing of its EU Association Agreement set for 27 June.
The counter-event, announced by Georgian Patriarch Ilia II and
attended by many hundreds of believers, was also used to protest the
recent passage of anti-discrimination legislation required as part
of Georgia's Visa Liberalisation Action Plan with the European Union.
Ironically, gay rights activists already consider the law, which was
adopted on 2 May and came into effect five days later, as watered
down in its second reading following criticism from the Church. "The
legalisation of illegality is a very serious sin," the Patriarch
declared. "There are issues which can not be allowed."
A petition to call for the removal of references to sexual orientation
and gender identity in the law was also launched on 17 May, something
that could resonate positively among a large number of Georgians.
According to the results of an opinion poll released by the National
Democratic Institute (NDI) earlier this month, while 73 and 79 percent
of respondents said that they believed the protection of religious
and ethnic minority rights was important, only 24 percent said the
same for sexual minorities.
And in a survey held by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC)
following the violence on 17 May last year, 50 percent of respondents
felt "physical violence can be acceptable towards those people or
groups who endanger national values." Only 46 percent disagreed,
with 57 percent believing that a "successful, peaceful celebration
of IDAHOT would have endangered Georgia."
The invisibles
But if the Church's influence in a highly traditional society
appears to have achieved its aim, civil society did not shy away
from counter-actions. The next day, for example, 100 pairs of shoes
appeared on the street adjacent to Tbilisi's Freedom Square 'on behalf
of the invisible and against invisibility.'
"Today, these empty shoes stand instead of those humans, who dared,
one year ago, to stand up against the invisibility of one social group,
the LGBTQ community, those who tried to unmask how merciless we are
[...]," the organisers of the action wrote. "This is a protest for the
invisible and against invisibility. Despite that fact that we couldn't
yet manage to recognise and appreciate each other, we still exist,
with our desire to speak [...]. Turning a blind eye and covering
our ears won't erase our existence, won't smooth over our wounds,
and won't take away our ability to feel empathy and love."
And on 19 May, in a flashmob staged in the early hours of the morning,
steps next to the Freedom Square metro station were painted in the
colours of the LGBT rainbow flag while posters appeared throughout
the city. "I am here against homophobia," they read. "I cannot find
a reason to justify your hatred."
Hysteria
But despite the 'hit and run' tactics to protest homophobia in
society, the trend remains negative. Just days before IDAHOT,
the manager of the gay-friendly 'Cafe Gallery' posted an update on
Facebook alleging that police had visited the venue's premises to
demand the names, addresses, and phone numbers of staff members who
were members of Tbilisi's LGBT community. Meanwhile, on IDAHOT itself,
at the demonstration organised by the Church, believers openly accused
and displayed aggression towards anyone they suspected on appearance
alone of being gay or even 'different.'
As evidence of the hysteria emerging among some traditionally minded
Georgians, a scuffle even erupted between two homophobic males who
accused each other of being homosexual.
In such an environment, IDENTOBA's Irakli Vacharadze sees new threats
emerging in the future if the government does not adequately respond
to the potential dangers now. "The church is flexing its muscles and
sees the anti-discrimination law as taking away their right to freely
attack minorities," he told Osservatorio. "The danger is that this
rhetoric could give birth to independent -- even Neo-Nazi -- groups
that the church can't control. We have already seen anti-immigrant
groups emerge, but that could be just the beginning. The worst might
yet be to come."
And this could prove to be a major obstacle to the country's gradual
integration with Europe.
"It should be understood that the issue is not about so-called
propaganda for a certain lifestyle but about ensuring basic
rights to all human beings," Thomas Hammarberg, EU Special Adviser
on Constitutional and Legal Reform and Human Rights in Georgia,
wrote in a September 2013 report. But civil society activists such
as Vacharadze argue that the government is still not ready to tackle
this issue in earnest. The rainbow flag painted on the steps close
to the Liberty Square metro station is another example of that.
A week after it appeared, it was removed in what ostensibly appeared
to be construction work. IDENTOBA, along with many Georgian Facebook
users, remain unconvinced.
http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/All-the-news/Concerns-Linger-About-Sexual-Minority-Rights-in-Georgia-152682