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In relation to Georgia, the Refugee Council notes that “in December 2024 the current Government...
Conclusion
In relation to Georgia, the Refugee Council notes that “in December 2024 the current Government sanctioned five Georgian officials for serious human rights violations. This included the Minister for Interior and the Director of the Tbilisi Police Department. The press release issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office at the time noted that ‘UN experts have condemned the pattern of repression and human rights violations in Georgia.’”158 Rainbow Migration notes that, “[w]ithin the last year, the Georgian government has introduced repressive new laws to restrict the rights of LGBTQI+ people, including a ban on same-sex marriage, gender- affirming care, and on sharing information that could be perceived as ‘LGBTQI+ propaganda’ in schools and in the media … . Stephen Doughty MP, recognised this threat and has stated that Georgia’s new laws ‘undermine fundamental rights of freedom of expression and assembly, and risk discriminating against and stigmatising Georgia’s LGBT+ groups.’”159 The Government’s recent condemnation of Georgia’s new laws highlights a further problem with section 59 - there is no statutory review mechanism for the designation of safe states. Whilst countries can be added and removed by way of regulations, there is no legal obligation to review the safety of listed states.
Source
Committee
Human Rights (Joint Committee)
Report
4th Report - Legislative Scrutiny: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
20 Jun 2025
HC 789
Addressee Bodies
Ministry of Justice
Timeline
Recommendation age
1.0 yr
Report published
20 Jun 2025