Tbilisi Pride Demands from Georgian Government to Protect Safety of Pride Week Participants
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, June 27, 2022
“The week opens on June 28 and ends on July 2, however, there is no march of honor - all events are scheduled indoors. Yet pro-Russian, homophobic, hate groups threaten to disrupt these measures and repeat the July 5, 2021 violence,” say Tbilisi Pride representatives.
Tbilisi Pride says that for 2 months, it has been actively working with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and provides the agency with complete and accurate information about the events of the week, as well as providing law enforcement agencies with facts about threats and violence.
“Meetings with the Ministry of Internal Affairs are being held with the participation of international organizations, the diplomatic corps, and the Public Defender's Office. We would like to emphasize that the Ministry of Internal Affairs guarantees the protection of all three measures. “An investigation has been launched into the allegations of incitement to violence,” says Tbilisi Pride.
However, they are excited and frightened by the fact that high-ranking officials have been actively making discrediting and inciting violent statements against the Tbilisi Pride and LGBTQ community in recent days.
“In particular, Irakli Gharibashvili accuses us of anti-state activities and artificially tries to connect us with the activities of political parties.
We request:
That the government states publicly and clearly that it will protect all three events of Tbilisi Pride Week and the safety of each of its participants.
Also, it ensures public order in the surrounding areas of the event and throughout the city.
"We demand the punishment of the organizers of July 5, who openly continue their violent activities this year and threaten the European future of the country,” the organization stated.
