Assistant Secretary Jim O’Brien expressed his concerns regarding newly signed legislation in Georgia. In a recent post on X, he stated, "Concerned about the legislation signed into law that restricts freedoms and risks moving Georgia away from Europe. The U.S. will always speak up in defense of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all."

This tweet comes soon after O’Brien's scheduled meeting with Iakob of Bodbe, Archbishop of the Georgian Orthodox Church, which was closed to the press.

For your information, the Georgian Parliament adopted the legislative package "On Family Values and the Protection of Minors," which restricts LGBT rights, on September 17. During the plenary session, the bill received support from 84 deputies in the third reading, with no votes against it.

On October 2, the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, did not sign the anti-LGBTQ+ legislative package passed by Parliament. However, she chose not to exercise her veto power. The legislative package was signed on October 3 by the Chairman of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili.