UN Human Rights High Commissioner concerned about selective approach towards religious minorities in Georgia

Gita Elibekyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Tbilisi

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay is concerned about the selective approach towards religious minorities in Georgia. During her recent visit to Georgia, she met the President, Prime Minister, and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Internal Affairs, among others. The aim of the High Commissioner’s visit was to discuss the human rights situation in Georgia.  The Commissioner stressed that she was very unhappy about the selective approach towards religious minorities in Georgia and urged authorities to honor their international obligations.

The Armenian Diocese in Georgia does not yet possess the property confiscated during Soviet era, including churches and buildings, many of which are in a poor condition.

Only after Georgia’s independence the confiscated churches were returned to the Georgian Orthodox Church, Levon Isakhanyan, the Head of the Legal Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, told the Commissioner.

“We also informed the Commissioner that a number of churches belonging to different religious organizations, including the Armenian Diocese, have been seized and are being used by the Georgian Orthodox Church.  We consider this a discrimination against  religious minorities. Navi Pillay voiced her concern over the issue, urging the Georgian authorities to honor their international obligations,” Levon Isakhanyan said.

Attaching importance to this call of the UN Commission, the Armenian Diocese in Georgia also urges the Georgian authorities “to refrain from discriminatory policy to ensure equal rights to religious and ethnic communities.”