05 May 2007, 22:04
Jehovah's Witnesses win the case against Georgia in Strasbourg
The European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg has made its decision on the case "97 members of Gdlan congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses and four other persons versus Georgia," the IA (Information Agency) "News-Georgia" reports. The press service of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia has informed that according to the Court's ruling Georgia will have to pay 41,523 euros to the victims.
Out of this sum 15,100 euros are the advocates' royalties; and the remaining money will be distributed among the 101 applicants.
The case concerned the attack on October 17, 1999, in Tbilisi of excommunicated churchman Vassily Mkalavishvili and his supporters on a religious meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Jehovah's Witnesses had claimed to the European Court the violation of six Articles of the European Convention, namely: prohibition of torture; freedom of opinion, conscience and religion; freedom of expression of one's opinion; freedom of assembly and associations; right to an effective legal remedy; and prohibition of discrimination.
