President Shevardnadze Condemns Religious Rights Violation

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 19, 2002) – “Tho only way to prevent religious violance is to adopt special law on religion”, stated President Shevardnadze in his traditional Monday briefing, while commenting on the events that took place in Kaspi.

Beating of witnesses of Jehova is unacceptable, said President. 

Witnesses of Jehova were beaten in Gori and Kaspi. The religious literature was burnt  and the building destroyed in Kaspi, where the congress of  this religous minority had to be held.

Prior to this fact, US Embassy in Georgia called upon Georgian government to take necessary measures to ensure security of  the congress.

Witnesses of Jehova accuse Georgian MP Guram Sharadze and excommunicated Orthodox priest Basil Mkalavishvili of organizing the attack in Kaspi.