Traditional Friday Prayers Were Conducted without Local Muslim Residents in Samtatskaro

Mikheil Mamalashvili, Kakheti

On July 19, traditional Friday prayer was conducted without local Muslim residents in Samtatskaro Muslim Chapel. Deputy Mufti of Kvemo Kartli region Adam Shantadze conducted the service and only five persons attended it. In parallel to that, police officers were mobilized in several spots in the village. Head of Lagodekhi district police Giorgi Gugunauri and his deputy were in the village too. Representatives of Public Defender’s Office also arrived in the village on Friday.

After the service, Adam Shantadze told HRC that local Muslim community did not attend the prayer because they are afraid. “Unfortunately, local Muslims did not attend the service. They are still stressed and afraid but we will keep on arriving here and hopefully they will eventually recover from this fear. We visited several Muslim families and they said they will attend the prayer when they feel safer,” Shantadze said.

Attorney of Samtatskaro territorial entity Gulnara Nadirashvili denies information about oppression on Muslim community in the village. She said nobody hinders Muslims to conduct prayers, - “Population has never prohibited them to conduct services; simply very few Muslims live here. Their majority was converted into Christianity and almost nobody is Muslim in the village now. Several people, who are still Muslim, pray in their houses. They will never collect people. We have never had problem about it,” said Gulnara Nadirashvili.

Conflict between Muslim and Christian residents of Samtatskaro village on religious grounds started after Muslim Department purchased a building to open a chapel in the village. Christian Hers and part of eco-migrants from Adjara, who are also Muslims, did not allow Muslim neighbors to conduct joint prayers several times already.