Public Defender, Giorgi Tugushi, said a proposal by lawmakers from Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM) to amend constitution to, as sponsors of the bill say, “protect morality”, was “absolutely inadmissible.”

Tugushi said that remarks by CDM lawmakers were “no less worrisome than the proposed” constitutional amendments.

CDM leader MP Giorgi Targamadze said while speaking about his party’s proposal at the parliamentary session on May 22, that the goal of gay activists “is legal and moral legalization of homosexuality, indecency, depravity and perverted way of life.”

The Public Defender said such remarks of “homophobic nature” were contributing “to the establishment of incorrect stereotypes in the society and encouraging discrimination.”

“Unfortunately, a part of their statements contained hate speech, which, in my opinion, encourages stereotypical and discriminatory attitudes in the society,” the Public Defender said in a statement on May 22.

Among the CDM’s proposals are to further stress the role of Christianity in the constitution; to ban “sexually immoral persons” from taking public offices; to restrict statements containing “propaganda of indecency” and insult of “religious principles”; to add a clause to the constitution according to which the state will recognize and protect that marriage is between a man and a woman.

“This [proposal] is not an expression of hatred towards these people [sexual minorities]; we hate the sin, not these people; I have pity on them,” MP Targamadze, leader of CDM, said on May 22.

CDM said it would be gathering signatures of Georgian citizens in order to formally initiate proposed constitutional amendments for next four months; that means that the proposal is less likely to be discussed by the sitting Parliament, as parliamentary elections are scheduled for October.