Day: March 15, 2024
On March 14, the Administration of Muslims of All Georgians called on the Muslim population of the municipality of Adigeni, Samtskhe-Javakheti region, to refrain from large gatherings for Friday Jum’ah prayers. The warnings come after local Orthodox Christians cursed and insulted Muslims during a prayer on March 8 over their opposition to the opening of a mosque in a house. The restrictions on local religious activity come during the month of Ramadan, which is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer and reflection.
The mosque and a Muslim education center have been open in the house of Imam Merab (Yusuf) Mikeladze for the past year and a half, as there is no place of worship in the village. During this time, the local Orthodox Christians and clergy have repeatedly threatened the local Muslims to stop their religious activities, saying that it is illegal to open a mosque in a private house.
On March 8, 200 hundred locals surrounded the house where three people were performing their Friday prayers. The gathered people threatened the lives of the Muslims worshippers. In the circulated video material Nikoloz Getsadze, the priest of the Zarzma Monastery, is seen trying to break through the police cordon and into the house of Imam Merab (Yusuf) Mikeladze and threatening him with violence. The voice of Nikoloz Getsadze can be heard in the video, cursing Merab Mikeladze and saying “This house will never be yours”, and then his companions repeating: “It will be ours, the Georgian people’s”, “It will be Christians’”.
In July 2023, with the participation of the local and central authorities, negotiations were held between the Orthodox and Muslim clergy, after which they agreed that the prayers would continue temporarily in the house of Imam Merab (Yusuf) Mikeladze until the local government purchased a new space for religious activities in the distant village of Ijareti. To date, the local government has not provided the Muslims with an alternative building.
On March 12, the Social Justice Center called for a legal evaluation of the events that took place on March 8th and the opening of an investigation by the Special Investigation Service under Article 156 of the Criminal Code (prosecution).
SJC noted: “It should be noted that to date, not a single episode of threats, persecution, and interference with religious activities has resulted in an appropriate response by law enforcement authorities. The continuity of threats and harassment, as well as the apparent motive of religious intolerance, indicate that the local Orthodox community and clergy, including Nikoloz Getsadze, are likely to be subjected to persecution on the grounds of religious intolerance, which is punishable under Article 156 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.”
Meanwhile, the Administration of Muslims of All Georgians states: “Controversies on religious grounds and intolerance of beliefs are contrary to the centuries-old traditions of tolerance in our country… We consider it inadmissible for any party to provoke conflicts in the name of religion and to use them for their own purposes, because such reckless steps can endanger the peaceful coexistence of our people”.
The Administration calls on local Muslims in Adigeni to refrain from large gatherings for Friday Jum’ah prayers and notes that negotiations are underway with the central government to reach a common agreement and resolve the issue soon.
Also Read:
- 01/07/2023 – Batumi New Mosque Stuck in Legal Limbo
Two Georgian citizens, Dito Korinteli and Giorgi Meladze, who were illegally detained by Russian occupation forces in the occupied territory near the Adzvi village of the Gori municipality (in the vicinity of Tskhinvali occupation line), have been released and are now safe in the Tbilisi-controlled territory, the State Security Service of Georgia reported on March 14.
On December 8, the so called security committee [also known as the KGB] of the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region said it initiated “criminal cases” against Meladze and Korinteli for “deliberate” and “illegal crossing of the state border” on November 24, 2023. In total three Georgian citizens were detained, with the one released later in December 2023 .
According to the SSSG, the central Government of Georgia “firmly raised the issue” within the frameworks of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) and the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM).
The SSSG noted that the emergency hotline and “all relevant instruments at the disposal of the central government” were activated to secure the release of Korinteli and Meladze.
“The central government, together with international partners, continues to work actively for the release of all Georgian citizens illegally detained in the occupied territories,” the SSSG said, adding that “the responsibility for all destructive acts committed in the occupied territories of Georgia, as well as along the occupation line, rests with the occupying power.”
Also Read:
- 28/02/2024 – Georgian Citizen Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces
- 16/02/2024 – Two Georgian Citizens Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces
- 09/02/2024 – Georgian Citizen Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces Released
- 15/01/2024 – Georgian Citizen Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces
- 29/11/2023 – Georgian Citizen Illegally Detained by Russian Occupation Forces Released
On March 14, the Administration of Muslims of All Georgians called on the Muslim population of the municipality of Adigeni, Samtskhe-Javakheti region, to refrain from large gatherings for Friday Jum’ah prayers. The warnings come after local Orthodox Christians cursed and insulted Muslims during a prayer on March 8 over their opposition to the opening of a mosque in a house. The restrictions on local religious activity come during the month of Ramadan, which is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer and reflection.
The mosque and a Muslim education center have been open in the house of Imam Merab (Yusuf) Mikeladze for the past year and a half, as there is no place of worship in the village. During this time, the local Orthodox Christians and clergy have repeatedly threatened the local Muslims to stop their religious activities, saying that it is illegal to open a mosque in a private house.
On March 8, 200 hundred locals surrounded the house where three people were performing their Friday prayers. The gathered people threatened the lives of the Muslims worshippers. In the circulated video material Nikoloz Getsadze, the priest of the Zarzma Monastery, is seen trying to break through the police cordon and into the house of Imam Merab (Yusuf) Mikeladze and threatening him with violence. The voice of Nikoloz Getsadze can be heard in the video, cursing Merab Mikeladze and saying “This house will never be yours”, and then his companions repeating: “It will be ours, the Georgian people’s”, “It will be Christians’”.
In July 2023, with the participation of the local and central authorities, negotiations were held between the Orthodox and Muslim clergy, after which they agreed that the prayers would continue temporarily in the house of Imam Merab (Yusuf) Mikeladze until the local government purchased a new space for religious activities in the distant village of Ijareti. To date, the local government has not provided the Muslims with an alternative building.
On March 12, the Social Justice Center called for a legal evaluation of the events that took place on March 8th and the opening of an investigation by the Special Investigation Service under Article 156 of the Criminal Code (prosecution).
SJC noted: “It should be noted that to date, not a single episode of threats, persecution, and interference with religious activities has resulted in an appropriate response by law enforcement authorities. The continuity of threats and harassment, as well as the apparent motive of religious intolerance, indicate that the local Orthodox community and clergy, including Nikoloz Getsadze, are likely to be subjected to persecution on the grounds of religious intolerance, which is punishable under Article 156 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.”
Meanwhile, the Administration of Muslims of All Georgians states: “Controversies on religious grounds and intolerance of beliefs are contrary to the centuries-old traditions of tolerance in our country… We consider it inadmissible for any party to provoke conflicts in the name of religion and to use them for their own purposes, because such reckless steps can endanger the peaceful coexistence of our people”.
The Administration calls on local Muslims in Adigeni to refrain from large gatherings for Friday Jum’ah prayers and notes that negotiations are underway with the central government to reach a common agreement and resolve the issue soon.
Also Read:
- 01/07/2023 – Batumi New Mosque Stuck in Legal Limbo
Categories
NPR News: 03-15-2024 7AM EDT
Israeli military denies reports after officials say eight people killed in separate strike on aid distribution centre
Gaza’s health ministry has said Israeli fire killed 20 people waiting to receive desperately needed aid in the besieged Palestinian territory, but the Israeli military said the reports were “erroneous”.
Gaza officials said the attack occurred as a crowd gathered to receive aid from a truck at the Kuwait roundabout, a key interchange used by humanitarian convoys carrying food into northern Gaza. More than 150 people were wounded, they added.