On July 12, the video was spread on Facebook, where Bishop Spiridon Abuladze preaches in Iveria Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral of Khitchauri about the threats existing in the country. The clergyman stated during the preaching that incest is legalized in American countries.
Bishop Spiridon’s statement is a disinformation, since incest is most severely punished in the USA. The legislation of some of states provides for life sentence as a punishment, while for giving a birth to a baby as a result of incest – even for the deprivation of parental rights. According to the acting US legislation, marriage limitation spreads on a wide circle of relatives.
US, in this regard, is distinguishable by its especially strict approach. The legislation of some states provides for life sentence as a punishment, while it provides for the deprivation of parental rights for parents, who has given a birth to a baby as a result of incest. Ban of incest relationships spreads on direct relatives in the ascending and descending line and genetic sister-brother, as well as on lateral (For example, niece, nephew, cousins, cousin’s children) and non-blood- relatives (For example, non-genetic sister-brother, adopting parent, adoptee, stepchild).
In addition, according to the acting US legislation, marriage limitation spreads on a wide circle of relatives, in some states, such marriage-like co-living between the close relatives is itself a punishable behavior. As a result, prosecution of incestuous relationship participants has been simplified.
The myth about legalization of incest in Western countries has been spreading for years and is connected to the threat of loss of identity in case of Georgia’s Western integration, which along with other issues represents one of the main instruments of Russian propaganda in Post-Soviet space.
Disinformation related to the incest has been spreading for years in Georgian Media space, aiming to incite the anti-Western moods in the population. By spreading disinformation regarding the incest, Kremlist groups aim to connect European values with crime and promiscuity, and to create the threat of loss of identity in the society. As the info graphics given below shows, the leader of United Democratic Movement Nino Burjanadze has firstly brought the myth into Georgian discourse:
