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No to homophobia – protest by reading constitution

Batumelebi reports that NGOs and part of society gathered in Batumi to protest the violence of May 17 International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. One of the protesters, Irakli Chkhetia, said on Friday that Georgian society and the world faced unprecedented violence from the so-called “sacrificed society.” “I think it was a failure of civil society, and the state in general,” he said, discouraging the people, who rallied against the LGBT supporters on May 17th in the center of Tbilisi.

Another protester, Lasha Palavandishvili, said the rally only carried the character of a performance and it had nothing to do with any religion, but it was only designed against aggression. “We read the constitution, where the rights of every citizen are written,” he said, adding that this way they had indirectly addressed the Ministry of Internal Affairs to adequately react over the issue.

“If the constitution will not be the main value in this country, it will always happen the same (as on May 17). Each of us should respect the constitution. It is first of all the duty of the state, government and the MIA to protect the constitutionally guaranteed rights and thus protect the citizens,” Giorgi Katamadze stated.



May 19 - International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

Interpressnews reports the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial on May 19 was celebrated with the rally – HIV refers to everyone. Make a test and prolong life. According to the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, this date was also commemorated by Georgia with various activities from a marathon from Ilia State University to the concert at 33 A Club in Vake Park.

A short film about anti-virus treatment was aired during the concert. The film was produced by the East Europe & Central Asia Union of PLWH under the frames of the regional advocacy strategy.

Post cards were also distributed throughout the South Caucasus and Russia on May 19th with the histories of 8 different HIV positive people from the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. People could express their opinions and viewpoints towards the particular histories.

Later at Vake Park, candles were lit to commemorate those people who have died of AIDS. The rally was carried out in the frames of EU funded Cross-border cooperation for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Impact Mitigation in Southern Caucasus and Russian Federation. NCDC, World Vision International Georgia and the NGO Real People, Real Views, organized the event which aimed at raising public awareness over the HIV