For Immediate Release
August 16, 2001
(Georgian in PDF)

Jehovah's Witnesses file with European Court to challenge Supreme Court of Georgia ruling

STRASBOURG, France—Jehovah's Witnesses in Georgia filed their second application in two months with the European Court of Human Rights. The latest application challenges a February 22, 2001, Supreme Court of Georgia ruling that was later referred to by Georgia's Minister of Justice Mikheil Saakashvili as doubtful, or dubious. The ruling in question, while not banning Jehovah's Witnesses, annulled the registration of two of their organizations. In its ruling, the Georgian Court insisted that Jehovah's Witnesses could not be registered since no "law on religion" had as yet been passed in Georgia.

The application argues that the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Court precedent and Georgia's international law commitments all support the right of association, which includes the right of religious communities to use legal entities. It maintains that the Georgian Supreme Court ruling attempts to remove that right in violation of the European Convention and Georgia's own Constitution. It also asserts that the ruling has resulted in a de facto ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Georgia, as the Court walks a fine line between honoring Georgia's constitutional and international commitments and bowing to extremist politicians within the country.

Since the court ruling, there have been countless violent attacks on Jehovah's Witnesses, the latest occurring within the last week. Police and prosecutors' offices routinely dismiss complaints by the Witnesses despite overwhelming evidence identifying the perpetrators and exposing their misdeeds. Observers see the lack of prosecution as government approval of the violence against Jehovah's Witnesses.

Georgia contact, telephone: +995 32 76 23 59 facsimile: +995 32 76 95 98
English-speaking. Paul Gillies, mobile telephone: + 44 7775 833880
B-roll/video footage of violent mob attacks available to the media upon request