WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a statement condemning the Georgian Parliament’s adoption of a Russian-style ‘Family Values’ law, following its recent anti-democratic foreign agent legislation. The so-called 'Family Values' law empowers authorities to ban public events, symbols, and media content deemed contrary to what it defines as "traditional moral standards," effectively allowing broad censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.
“This latest Russian-inspired law passed by Georgia’s government marks another troubling step backward for Georgia's commitment to human rights and its alignment with Euro-Atlantic democratic values. The so-called ‘Family Values’ law represents an attack on freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. The United States will continue to closely monitor these government crackdowns on basic freedoms, and those responsible will be held accountable. The people of Georgia – with their proud history of resilience and a deep desire for freedom – deserve the same basic rights that we hold dear in America, and our country stands with them in their ongoing pursuit of a future that embraces democratic values and fundamental rights for all.”
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