The following trends were observed in January:

• Part of homophobic statements was related to Russia’ military intervention into Ukraine, with Ukraine’s fight for the territorial integrity manipulatively presented as the fight for LGBT identity and against Orthodox Christianity.

• Another part of homophobic statements was related to refugees from Ukraine, promoting an opinion that Ukrainians had been expanding into Georgia without a war.

• Some of Islamophobic statements were also related to the war in Ukraine. Potential defeat of Russia in that war was presented as a threat of increase in the influence of Islam and Islamic countries in Georgia.

• Turkophobic statements promoted an opinion that Turkey was economically expanding into Georgia and wanted to seize Georgian territories, which could only be prevented by Russia.

• Other statements discriminating on the ground of religion, on the one hand, alluded to a threat of the dominant religious group, Orthodox Christianity, losing influence and, on the other hand, were directed against Catholic Church.

• Anti-Western statements accused the West of propagating obscenity, and in parallel with that, stressing the suitability of introducing the Russian LGBTQI propaganda law in Georgia.

Homophobic statements identified in January were related to two topics:

1. Ukraine’s fight against Russian intervention, which was presented as a fight for defending LGBTQI identity and against Orthodox Christianity;

2. Coverage of LGBTQI issues by the media with pro-government editorial policy, also television series produced by the Georgian Public Broadcaster, with one of the characters being a lesbian.

 Tristan Tsitelashvili, military expert: “The US special services, actually, organized that; they needed people, needed a government, the government that would begin destruction, the destruction of Christianity in Ukraine, the destruction of Orthodox Christianity… The disaster in Ukraine is a situation run by a devil, Satan and not the war for territorial integrity. This is an international crime against the population of Ukraine, organized by liberal-fascist-LGBT forces… Let’s somehow save Ukraine, save Ukrainian people and somehow free Ukraine from that Satanic government, LGBT government …”

Giorgi Kardava, Alt-Info/Conservative Movement: “[Commenting on Oleksii Reznikov’s statement] They speak openly that they are a shield of Western, liberast, globalist civilization, a shield of gay organizations, he does not even hide that Ukrainians are losing their lives for that… that Ukrainians die for those gay values in the clash of civilizations and he declares that that is their great mission and they need more money for that… Georgia shall never be placed in the same situation…”

Propaganda of homosexuality in media outlets pursuing pro-government editorial policy is unacceptable

Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, presenter of Sezoni TV: “Let me tell you, the Imedi TV company, that you try to be a servant of two masters by, on the one hand, producing a report on Ilia II and on the other hand, propagating Sodomy… Why do you need to produce that report and include in it comments that there, in Brussels, there are rainbow crossings and that the prime minister is a representative of sexual minority; by saying that are you trying to hint that the prime minister of Georgia should be a gay too?... When that is done by pro-opposition TV channels, everything is clear as we know what they pursue and how, but when pro-government channels air such things, it is a matter of concern …”

Giorgi Kardava, Conservative Movement: “The Public broadcaster produced television series that is actually gay series by its content and with the main character being a lesbian who is portrayed as being very much oppressed in this Georgian traditional, unprogressive, old-fashioned environment, prevented by this filthy Georgian environment from feeling a progress and this is the TV series funded from our pockets.”

Part of xenophobic messages was related to a statement of Andriy Kasianov, Ukrainian Ambassador in Georgia, expressing concern over the increased number of Russian citizens in Georgia and talking about a potential need of Ukrainian refugees withdrawing from Georgia in case of the resumption of direct Georgia-Russia flights. In response to that statement, there was an opinion promoted that Ukrainian refugees expanded into Georgia without a war and that tensions in the relationship between Ukrainians and Russians were artificially incited.

Ukrainians expand into Georgia without a war

Levan Gabashvili, journalist of Georgia and World: “Statistics was published recently showing that 12,000 Russian citizens purchased 15,000 assets (land plots, apartments) in Georgia and it caused uproar– ‘see, they are occupying us without a war,’ but there was no statistics published about how much property was purchased by citizens of Ukraine and believe me, their number is far greater [than of Russian citizens]; moreover, Ukrainians are especially attracted to seaside places and they buy not only houses but also hotels and plan to run business in future. What about this? Is Ukraine not occupying us without a war? It is precisely from Ukraine that we are threatened with war and revolution, change in government and the return of United National Movement [to power]. It is therefore interesting, when it comes to evacuation, whom will that Kasianov take away in “Noe-Zelenskii airplane:” the people who have already invested a hundred thousand or only those who will be willing to return to their homeland free of charge?!”

Ambassador of Ukraine and the West try to artificially trigger tension in the relationship between Ukrainian refugees and Russian citizens in Georgia

Levan Gabashvili, journalist of Georgia and World: “So what that Russian or Ukrainian citizens live together not only in one district of Tbilisi and not only in one block of flats, but even on the same floor and have perfect relations? Both the West and Kasianov are aware of that very well but they speak about something else on TV as to artificially create tension, to make people angry and perhaps someone loses his temper and gets a look by a Russian acquaintance or neighbor at him wrong, and decides that the coexistence of citizens of two countries impossible in the third country….”

The West is a victim of its own liberal policy in the area of migration

Shota Martinenko, Conservative Movement: “Let me explain for those who fail to understand… migrants that have arrived [in Germany] from Africa, Arab countries, other countries threw fireworks from windows at people, threw at first aid offices and passersby, fired arms in air… Do we want such a country, even be it financially successful? Do we want the migrants who have arrived to behave like that?... aggressively firing in air, in street; offending you when you go out into street with your family, being in your country somewhat oppressed, distressed, offended but having money; is that what we want?...

Every neighbor of Georgia tries to seize Georgian territories

Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, presenter of Sezoni TV: “Some people thinks that we have problems with Russia; we have problems with everyone as borders have not been demarcated with Armenia and Azerbaijan, you stupid Georgians, those who are in the parliament… That means that you fail to understand that we do not have borders demarcated with Armenia and Azerbaijan because they have claims against us…”

Gia Gvazava, former chairman of the Supreme Council of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia: “All neighbors have misappropriated Georgian land…”

Turkophobic messages promote an opinion that Turkey has been economically expanding into Georgia and also wants to seize Georgian territories, which can be prevented only by Russia.

Turkey has been economically expanding into Adjaria

Turkey wants to seize Georgian lands/Turkey can be contained only by Russia

Mamuka Kartozia, Alliance of Patriots: “One cannot rule out that Russia will turn a blind eye and allow Turkey into the territory of Georgia too. We do not have any mechanism of defense. Turkey will never be our ally and friend, that’s excluded! That does not happen irrespective of the fact that Turkey is a NATO member state… Do you know what’s most important, most central and most dangerous? The Great Turan movement has started, Pan-Turkism is about to begin, Turkish-speaking population has been united… they interact with them and this is officially declared by Erdogan himself, declared by Cavusoglu, declared by the [Turkish] Defense Minister too.”

Giorgi Kardava, Conservative Movement: “Enmity between Russia and us is an artificial enmity… The existence of Christian Georgia that has historically played a role of buffer is in Russia’s interest and if, for example, Russia disappears, do you think that the North Caucasus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran will disappear too? We will have to find ways of salvation in the conditions of new reality, which, trust me, will be very difficult because the natural balancing power will disappear, the power that balances various undemocratic processes in our region, particularly on the part of Turkey which does not hide that it strives to regain positions of imperialistic superstate.”

Beso Barbakadze, journalist of Georgia and World: “[They say that] Turkey is a friend (even more so, historical) and Russia is an enemy (historical too). By the way, it was after the Treaty of Georgievsk that Meskheti was recaptured from Turkey and it was precisely owing to Russia’s assistance that this historic region was returned to Georgia.”

Some of Islamophobic statements related to the war in Ukraine. Potential defeat of Russia in that war was discussed in the context of threat of increasing influence of Islam and Islamic countries in Georgia. In some cases, the strengthening of Islamic influences was linked to migration processes in the West.

Georgian can only be defended against Islamization by Russia

Ruslan Kvaratskhelia, Citizen: “Some believe that if Russia loses the war in Ukraine, we, Georgians, will be happy! No, we will not, Georgia will instantly become a vilayet of Turkey!”

Shota Aptsiauri, Eurasia Institute: “Only fools may think that if Russia loses, positive prospects will appear for Georgia! Firstly, Russia will never demise in a way as to lose control over Georgia for good; even if it so happens, Georgia will find itself in a helpless situation in the environment of Islamic states that have aggressive attitudes towards Georgia and will tear up and distribute it among themselves! Fortunately, Russia’s defeat in this war is excluded!”

Process of Islamization is underway in the West

Irakli Martinenko, Conservative Movement: “If the West continues in this manner, it will stop existing, it will be devoured and there will be some sort of Muslim West there…”

Other statements of religious discrimination were directed against the Catholic Church, and at the same time, against the backdrop of demographic changes, an emphasis was placed on a threat of oppression by various religions, and disappearance of Orthodox Christianity.

Orthodox Christians, as a dominant religious group, face threat

Merab Ratishvili, Writer: “Can we not anticipate that in 30 years the skin of Georgian population will grow darker and black?! Can we not anticipate that?! Can we not see and feel that we are under such a great pressure and that Catholicism and Islamic forces actually [pose threat to] our Orthodox Church?! In other words, the number of our population, as Orthodox Christians, will decrease.”

Against Catholic Church

Iakob Mestvirishvili, Religious servant: “You must have seen the video filmed in a Catholic church in Argentina where attendees – I cannot call them believers – representatives of various confessions or various orientation are standing around the church and actually spitting at it. That is not a belief, it does not fit into anything…”

Sexist hate speech was used against female soldiers in Ukraine and promoted an opinion that women serving in the army can only be the result of lack of men. Sexist statements also involved ageism and slut-shaming.

Women serve in the army only because of lack of men

Ageism

Malkhaz Topuria, Alliance of Patriots: “Let them return the billions they gained for a pittance to the detriment of Georgian budget… which was misappropriated by that old woman, lady, or whoever she is, Giuli Alasania.”

Slut-shaming

Soso Shatberashvili, Leftist Alliance: “The thing is that this group of the United National Movement – I do not refer to all ordinary voters and ordinary loving women walking around and weeping and singing ‘what a fine flag, red with a long handle, has Misha [Saakashvili] given to us,’ - I do not refer to them. That group is specialized in military coups and overthrow of governments, they know nothing else.”

Anti-Western messages accused the West of propagating obscenity, while in parallel with that, they stressed the suitability of introducing the Russian LGBTQI propaganda law in Georgia.

The USA propagates obscenity whereas Russia legally prohibits LGBT propaganda

Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, presenter of Sezoni TV: “… Today the United States of America is the source of all obscenity, perversion, misfortune and if I oppose Sodomy my voice must be suppressed; by the way, this is precisely what many oppose in Russia and that’s why they adopted the law against LGBT propaganda, which has already been enforced. I wish this sort of law were adopted in the country of Virgin Mary [Georgia] too, because we must be at the forefront of that today instead of envying them [Russians] that they adopted that law, we must adopt it ourselves.”

The West imposes homosexuality/propagates obscenity

Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, presenter of Sezoni TV: “The West tells us – and all that is in that 12-point plan - that we must propagate obscenity, pro-government TV channels must produce and shoot films about gays and lesbians, i.e. give the green light to sexual minorities, offend the Church, and we should strive towards that kind of West…”

Giorgi Kardava, Conservative Movement: “Liberasts do not hold advantageous positions; it’s clear that they went mad, but they want to impose that on us, that’s the problem. Had they held it to themselves, one should have said that Germans have gone mad, but it is their sovereign right to allow a transgender compete in a contest, or even allow dogs, horses or whatever, I do not care, but when this is imposed on me and sold to me as a truth, I have the full right to oppose it because they force me to live in that deceit, in that suicidal, crazy environment and destroy my homeland and my country. That’s where I will resist.” 

Valeri Kvaratskhelia, journalist of Georgia and World: “Nazism could emerge only in inequal societies, terrorism could be created only by an inequal society. Both were born in the West. The West calls itself a civilized world, but it has not refrained from reviving and cultivating the barbarian ideology that is called fascism. Propaganda of obscenity that the West carries out for so-called LGBT is a pure Satanism, because it is equally directed against spiritual and human foundations.”