A law of liability for race and religious intolerance came into effect in Georgia

President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili signed a law of amendments to the Criminal Code of the country toughening punishment for crimes committed on the grounds of intolerance towards different social groups.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that on March, 27, deputies of the Georgian Parliament sanctioned amendments to a number of legislative acts according to which race, lingual, national or ethnic intolerance became aggravating circumstances for a crime.

The amendments were published in the "Legal Bulletin", hence, the changes are already considered valid, "Georgia online" reports.

According to the law, committing a crime on the grounds of intolerance by the lines race, colour of the skin, language, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, political and other views, disability, citizenship, national, ethnic or social status, origin, property status or official capacity, residence or other discriminating attributes may be considered as aggravating circumstances, IA "Novosti-Georgia" reports.

It was reported earlier that the authorities of Georgia intended to toughen liability for crimes committed on the grounds of religious, race, lingual national or ethnic intolerance. After parliamentary debates sex and political intolerance were added to the list of aggravating circumstances. In this way, the deputies took into consideration the initiative of NGO "Association of Young Lawyers of Georgia".

Amendment to the Criminal Code of Georgia were made in response to recommendations of the European Committee against racism and intolerance of the Council of Europe which called for Georgia to adopt a legislation stipulating regarding all sorts of racist motives as aggravating circumstances for a crime.