British Ambassador to Georgia Gareth Ward issued a statement on the adoption of the legislative package “Family values and protection of minors”, saying it “undermines fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly for all Georgian citizens.”

Ambassador Ward stated that the legislative package “encourages discrimination against marginalised communities who are already vulnerable.”

“The UK regrets that the legislative package on “family values and protection of minors” has passed into law today. This package undermines fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly for all Georgian citizens. It encourages discrimination against marginalised communities who are already vulnerable.

We are concerned that this legislation has been passed at speed.

We reiterate our call to the Georgian authorities to reconsider the package of laws on “family values and protection of minors” which together with the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, place restrictions on both civil society and individual Georgians and call into question the breadth of the UK Georgia relationship,” reads the statement.