Attack on the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses in Gori

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

On May 16, somebody shot the door of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses located in Tsmindatskali settlement in Gori from firearm. As locals told humanrights.ge, presumably somebody shot the door of the Hall from so-called hunting gun. Besides the bullet hole, a massage was left on the door of the Kingdom Hall - “Trust In Our God.”  

As the press-center of the MIA reported to humanrights.ge, the investigation into the incident started under Article 156 Part I (persecution of a person because of his/her religious activities) and Article 187 Part 1 (intentional destruction of other’s property, which has resulted in substantial damage) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. 

It is not first fact when Jehovah Witnesses were persecuted because of their religious activities. Two months ago, somebody painted crosses on the fence of the Kingdom Hall.

Nongovernmental organization Human Rights Center reacted on the incident and called on the MIA and the Prosecutor’s Office to carry out effective investigation into the fact, to identify the hate and discrimination motives in the crime, identify perpetrators and punish them in accordance to the law.

“We call on the MIA and prosecutor’s office to properly investigate the committed crimes and identify the motives of religious hatred and discrimination. They shall identify perpetrators and impose strict punishments on them. Lack of response and impunity of perpetrators encourages similar incidents in future, which may lead us to the worst results,” lawyer of the HRC Shida Kartli office Aleksi Merebashvili said.