15 Georgian political parties agreed to fight to eliminate discrimination and violence against LGBTQ citizens with all mechanisms at their disposal, Tbilisi Pride, a local organization uniting LGBTQ and rights activists announced on May 16.
The signatories include the United National Movement, the largest opposition party, European Georgia, right libertarian Girchi – New Political Center and Girchi – More Freedom parties, Republican Party, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Lelo, Elene Khoshtaria’s Droa movement, Free Democrats, Victorious Georgia, Progress and Freedom, Law and Justice, the Reformer, United Georgia and ex-MP Eka Beselia’s For Justice party.
Tbilisi Pride said the parties agreed to defend the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression of all citizens irrespective of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The parties also agreed not to allow their representatives to use hate speech and incite social strife based on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
The announcement comes a day ahead of hotly-contested International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), also marked by the powerful Orthodox Church as the Family Purity Day since 2014, in an attempt to counter the IDAHO celebrations.
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