LGBTQ rights in Abkhazia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Legal status | Not protected |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people inAbkhazia are not legally protected from discrimination and face social challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. According to a 2018 report by the US-basedFreedom House organization, Abkhazia is a socially conservative society and social taboos exist against LGBTQ individuals.
As ade jure part ofGeorgia, same-sex marriage, adoptions by same-sex couples, gender-affirming care, and media depictions of LGBTQ people arede jure banned in Abkhazia, as with the rest of Georgia's internationally recognized territory.
The US-basedFreedom House organization stated in its 2018Freedom in the World report that LGBTQ people in Abkhazia are not legally protected from discrimination. It further stated that, as a conservative society, taboos remain in Abkhazia against lifestyles viewed as "non-traditional", including homosexuality and gender nonconformity.[1] The LGBTQ rights groupEqualdex similarly notes that there are no legal protections for LGBTQ people against housing discrimination or employment discrimination.[2]
On 16 November 2021, arainbow flag was shown as part of a fifth-grade classroom presentation inSukhumi to mark theInternational Day for Tolerance. The presentation was attended by parents of the students and members of the ministry for education.[3] Some of the parents complained about its display to law enforcement, prompting a response from theministry for internal affairs that the rainbow flag used was meant tosymbolize world peace. Commentators noted, however, that the display of the rainbow flag, even to represent LGBTQ people, is not prohibited by Abkhazian law.[3]
On 17 September 2024,Georgia's parliament passed legislation which banned same-sex marriage, adoptions by same-sex couples, gender-affirming care, and media depictions of LGBTQ people. As ade jure part of Georgia, the ban is supposed to apply to Abkhazia as well, even if not in actual practice.[4]
