Rights defenders claim religious discrimination in Georgia

Georgian authorities are supporting the Georgian Orthodox Church in financial, legal and social spheres, while the attitude of the state towards other religions is discriminatory, the Institute of Tolerance and Diversity has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Batumi Mayoralty refused to treat the ban on building a mosque as discrimination. The construction site is located in a densely populated area, but this had not prevented to erect seven Christian temples there, the court has noted.

The rights defenders' report says that the Georgian Patriarchate influences the adopted laws. In 2011, it was against the intention of the parliament to assign the right to register legal entities to other religions.

The state turns a blind eye to offenses committed by clergymen of the Georgian Orthodox Church. "On May 17, 2013, with the active participation of priests, a group of aggressive people dispersed a peaceful rally on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia," the report says, adding that the Roman Catholic Church had faced with artificial obstacles to the intention of building a cathedral in Rustavi.

The report also gives examples of discrimination against Muslims. For several years already, authorities would not allow building a mosque in Batumi.