Report on the Freedom of Religion

Rights of religious minorities still being violated in Georgia

The Human Rights Center (HRIDC) prepared a report on the freedom of religion in Georgia. The report evaluates the situation since the contract was signed between the state and Georgian Patriarchate regarding the freedom of religion.

The Center considers that since 1990s cases of religious extremism have been decreased in number, however, other problems remain. Nowadays, the victims of the aggression become the parish members of traditional religions in Georgia (Orthodox, Islam, and Judaism) but believers of new and less famous confessions, and particularly Jehovah's Witnesses.

In 2002 Georgian government and Patriarchate signed an agreement. According to the contract Orthodox Church was granted with more privileges than other religious denominations. For example, only the Orthodox Church is free from taxes; religious holidays are based only on the Orthodox calendar and many other facts enable us to claim that religious minorities are being discriminated against in Georgia.

In addition, religious minorities cannot have their properties returned to them in Georgia that they lost during Soviet Regime.  Discrimination is encountered in education system too. Georgian budget apportioned 9,521 000 GEL in 2008 to fund religious studies at schools; however, public schools provide lessons only about Orthodox religion and not generally about religion as a whole.

Representatives of the religious minorities do not have equal conditions at custodies too. Prisoner has right to live religiously regardless his/her confession. However, religious minorities have less chance to take part in religious services in prisons than do Orthodox believers.

Recently, an additional tendency has been observed in Georgia. Political parties try to manipulate religion in order to gain votes during elections. Newly-established parties tend to follow such methods with their campaigning.