Two Clerics Charged into May 17 Violence

Criminal charges have been filed against two clerics of the Georgian Orthodox Church in connection to the May 17 violence when an attempted anti-homophobia rally was disrupted, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The two clerics were charged without being arrested.

Archimandrite at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Antimoz (Tamaz) Bichinashvili, and father superior at Ioane-Tornike Eristavi Monastery, Iotam (Irakli) Basilaia have been charged under the first part of article 161 of the criminal code, the Interior Ministry said.

The criminal charge involves illegally impeding right to assembly and demonstration with use of force or threat of force and carries either fine or two years of “corrective work” or imprisonment for two years.

“Investigation into the May 17 incident continues,” the Interior Ministry said in its brief written announcement on its website.

Three young men and a 16-year-old boy were arrested by the police on May 19 and fined by the court on May 21 with GEL 100 each and released after they were found guilty of petty hooliganism during the May 17 developments.

Civil Georgia