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The Messenger, Georgia
July 23 2014
Armenian diocese disagrees with police
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, July 23
The Diocese of Georgia of the Armenian Apostolic Church disagrees with
the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs' assessment on the incident
that occurred nearby the Holy Etchmiadzin Armenian Church in Tbilisi.
Church representatives claim that Georgian law-enforcement did not
give a relevant qualification to the case that occurred in front of
the church several days ago.
According to the statement by the Diocese of Georgia of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, in the evening of July 19, a group of people carried
out a planned attack against the clergy of the Holy Etchmiadzin
Church. According to the witnesses, the reason of the clash was
because of a car that was parked in the wrong place.
"The incident, which occurred near the Holy Etchmiadzin Armenian
Church in Tbilisi, did not have an ethnic basis," the Ministry of
Internal Affairs of Georgia has stated.
"The clash took place in the street because of parking. The
investigation is conducted on charges of causing bodily injuries," the
MIA states.
Church officials say they did not agree with the ministry statement
concerning ordinary hooliganism, and demand an investigation.
According to Diocese attorney Levon Isakhanyan, five clergy members
suffered injuries as a result of the incident.
"What happened was the first incident of such extent. [But] the
important thing is to do everything so that this kind of thing will
not happen again," Isakhanyan added.
The statement made by the spirituals caused dissatisfaction among
those participating in the clash. As it turned out, there were ethnic
Armenians on both sides.
Tamaz Khachaturov, one of the participants of the clash, states that
the Armenian spirituals are trying to cause ethnic rivalry, when it
had nothing to do with ethnicity.
"The clash was caused due to a petty little thing, the clash itself
was provoked more by the spirituals," Khachaturov claims.
Arnold Stepanyan, head of Multiethnic Georgia, also excludes any clash
on religious or ethnic grounds. He stresses that the statement made by
the church representatives was prompt and anti-state. According to
him, such types of statements might be very risky and cause real
confrontation when the initial reason might be totally different.
The church representatives disagree with the statements and are still
firm over changing the qualification of the case.
Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili appealed to law-enforcers to
investigate the case appropriately, taking all details into account as
there might have been some other crimes committed, not only
hooliganism.
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/3164_july_23_2014/3164_tea.html
From: A. Papazian
July 23 2014
Armenian diocese disagrees with police
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, July 23
The Diocese of Georgia of the Armenian Apostolic Church disagrees with
the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs' assessment on the incident
that occurred nearby the Holy Etchmiadzin Armenian Church in Tbilisi.
Church representatives claim that Georgian law-enforcement did not
give a relevant qualification to the case that occurred in front of
the church several days ago.
According to the statement by the Diocese of Georgia of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, in the evening of July 19, a group of people carried
out a planned attack against the clergy of the Holy Etchmiadzin
Church. According to the witnesses, the reason of the clash was
because of a car that was parked in the wrong place.
"The incident, which occurred near the Holy Etchmiadzin Armenian
Church in Tbilisi, did not have an ethnic basis," the Ministry of
Internal Affairs of Georgia has stated.
"The clash took place in the street because of parking. The
investigation is conducted on charges of causing bodily injuries," the
MIA states.
Church officials say they did not agree with the ministry statement
concerning ordinary hooliganism, and demand an investigation.
According to Diocese attorney Levon Isakhanyan, five clergy members
suffered injuries as a result of the incident.
"What happened was the first incident of such extent. [But] the
important thing is to do everything so that this kind of thing will
not happen again," Isakhanyan added.
The statement made by the spirituals caused dissatisfaction among
those participating in the clash. As it turned out, there were ethnic
Armenians on both sides.
Tamaz Khachaturov, one of the participants of the clash, states that
the Armenian spirituals are trying to cause ethnic rivalry, when it
had nothing to do with ethnicity.
"The clash was caused due to a petty little thing, the clash itself
was provoked more by the spirituals," Khachaturov claims.
Arnold Stepanyan, head of Multiethnic Georgia, also excludes any clash
on religious or ethnic grounds. He stresses that the statement made by
the church representatives was prompt and anti-state. According to
him, such types of statements might be very risky and cause real
confrontation when the initial reason might be totally different.
The church representatives disagree with the statements and are still
firm over changing the qualification of the case.
Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili appealed to law-enforcers to
investigate the case appropriately, taking all details into account as
there might have been some other crimes committed, not only
hooliganism.
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/3164_july_23_2014/3164_tea.html
From: A. Papazian