ECtHR supports Georgian contraceptive manufacturer

The “Aiisa” Company won in the Strasbourg Court a case on condoms, the packaging of which angered Orthodox believers. When Georgian courts banned the production of those condoms, they violated the right to freedom of expression, the European Court of Human Rights ruled.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in 2018, in Kutaisi, protesters accused the company “Aiisa”, which produced condoms with the image of Queen Tamar on the packaging, of “discrimination against Orthodoxy” and demanded to introduce criminal liability for insulting religious feelings.

The Georgian domestic courts that imposed a fine on the company “Aiisa” violated Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which deals with freedom of expression, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled.

The Strasbourg Court challenged the thesis from the decision of the Georgian Court of Appeal. “The European Court disagrees with the decision of the Georgian court, according to which the ethical views of followers of the Georgian Orthodox Church are above the Convention on Human Rights and other values established by the Constitution of Georgia. The Court reiterates that in the pluralistic democratic society, those who exercise the right to express religious views must make up their mind and accept the right of other people to criticize or be negative about their beliefs,” the ECtHR rules in its decision, posted on the European Court’s website on July 23.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 23, 2021 at 02:49 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.