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Democracy & Freedom Watch
July 22 2014
Ombudsman asks for effective investigation of Armenian church attack
by DFWatch staff | Jul 22, 2014
TBILISI, DFWatch-The Georgian ombudsman addresses law enforcement
bodies to properly and effectively investigate the attack on priests
at an Armenian church on July 19.
On Saturday, about 50 people attacked Surb Etchmiadzin Church in
Tbilisi. The Armenian Diocese says the attack was motivated by
religious and ethnic prejudice, but the Interior Ministry denies the
incident was a case of discrimination.
The ombudsman's statement on Monday says that considering the context
in which the incident took place it is important that the
investigation is launched with proper qualification in order to avoid
further tension in the situation.
The investigation is based on section 125 of the criminal code, about
beating, but employees of the Ombudsman's Office have questioned
witnesses and studied footage taken on the day of the attack and
concluded that another types of crime might have taken place: It could
be hooliganism, organized group violence, or damaging someone's
health.
"It is important that law enforcement bodies collect and carefully
study all the evidence which can indicate that the crime might have
been committed on ethnic motives," the statement reads.
The ombudsman writes that there is a background of religious and
ethnic intolerance in the country and therefore the government and
society must do its best to rapidly give clear answers to the incident
which took place on July 19.
"It is necessary that the government, civil society and media make
efforts not to let a new wave of intolerance take place in the
country."
On Sunday, the Armenian ambassador to Georgia told journalists that
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia sent a note to Georgia
about the incident at Surb Etchmiadzin Church.
He said the Armenian government knows what has happened and why the
disagreement started, but at this stage they cannot say that it
happened deliberately.
The ambassador says that law enforcement bodies will find out what happened.
Patriarchate's Foreign Affairs Department and a bishop of Armenian
Church met Tuesday to discuss what happened on Saturday, according to
a statement by the Georgian Orthodox Church.
"The Georgian Church condemns the incident and calls on participants
in the confrontation to make peace," the statement reads. "The Church
as usual will help to solve the problem and to create peaceful
coexistence of religious confessions in the country."
http://dfwatch.net/ombudsman-asks-for-effective-investigation-of-armenian-church-attack-59595
July 22 2014
Ombudsman asks for effective investigation of Armenian church attack
by DFWatch staff | Jul 22, 2014
TBILISI, DFWatch-The Georgian ombudsman addresses law enforcement
bodies to properly and effectively investigate the attack on priests
at an Armenian church on July 19.
On Saturday, about 50 people attacked Surb Etchmiadzin Church in
Tbilisi. The Armenian Diocese says the attack was motivated by
religious and ethnic prejudice, but the Interior Ministry denies the
incident was a case of discrimination.
The ombudsman's statement on Monday says that considering the context
in which the incident took place it is important that the
investigation is launched with proper qualification in order to avoid
further tension in the situation.
The investigation is based on section 125 of the criminal code, about
beating, but employees of the Ombudsman's Office have questioned
witnesses and studied footage taken on the day of the attack and
concluded that another types of crime might have taken place: It could
be hooliganism, organized group violence, or damaging someone's
health.
"It is important that law enforcement bodies collect and carefully
study all the evidence which can indicate that the crime might have
been committed on ethnic motives," the statement reads.
The ombudsman writes that there is a background of religious and
ethnic intolerance in the country and therefore the government and
society must do its best to rapidly give clear answers to the incident
which took place on July 19.
"It is necessary that the government, civil society and media make
efforts not to let a new wave of intolerance take place in the
country."
On Sunday, the Armenian ambassador to Georgia told journalists that
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia sent a note to Georgia
about the incident at Surb Etchmiadzin Church.
He said the Armenian government knows what has happened and why the
disagreement started, but at this stage they cannot say that it
happened deliberately.
The ambassador says that law enforcement bodies will find out what happened.
Patriarchate's Foreign Affairs Department and a bishop of Armenian
Church met Tuesday to discuss what happened on Saturday, according to
a statement by the Georgian Orthodox Church.
"The Georgian Church condemns the incident and calls on participants
in the confrontation to make peace," the statement reads. "The Church
as usual will help to solve the problem and to create peaceful
coexistence of religious confessions in the country."
http://dfwatch.net/ombudsman-asks-for-effective-investigation-of-armenian-church-attack-59595