Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI1103
2007-05-11 13:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES WIN CASE AGAINST GEORGIA IN THE
how-toVZCZCXRO2593 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSI #1103 1311340 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 111340Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6308 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS TBILISI 001103
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES WIN CASE AGAINST GEORGIA IN THE
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
UNCLAS TBILISI 001103
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES WIN CASE AGAINST GEORGIA IN THE
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
1. On May 3, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in
Strasbourg ruled that Georgia violated three articles of the
European Human Rights Convention in the case of "Ninety-seven
members of the Jehovah's Witnesses of Gldani Congregation against
Georgia." The case, which was first launched in 2001, pertained to
an October 17, 1999 attack against Jehovah's Witnesses carried out
by a radical Orthodox priest, Basil Mkalavishvili and a group of
supporters. The court obligated Georgia to pay compensation to the
amount of 35,000 euros to the victims. The Jehovah's Witnesses
community in Georgia called the decision a significant victory.
2. At the time of the attacks in 1999, Georgian courts did not take
up the case despite a pledge by then President Shevardnadze, to
start criminal proceedings against Mkalavishvili's group. With
their case stalled in the Georgian justice system, and in the face
of continuing attacks by Mkalavishvili's group, the Jehovah's
Witnesses eventually filed a suit directly with the ECHR in 2001.
Mkalavishvili and his supporters were finally arrested by Georgian
authorities and convicted by a Georgian court in 2004, after the
Rose Revolution brought a new Georgian government to power.
3. Genady Gudadze, a leader in the Jehovah's Witnesses community in
Georgia, told us that between 2001 and 2003, they filed more than 30
suits with the ECHR. The May 3 ruling brought the first case to a
close. Encouraged by the verdict, Gudadze said the Jehovah's
Witnesses expect to win the remaining cases as well.
TEFFT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES WIN CASE AGAINST GEORGIA IN THE
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
1. On May 3, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in
Strasbourg ruled that Georgia violated three articles of the
European Human Rights Convention in the case of "Ninety-seven
members of the Jehovah's Witnesses of Gldani Congregation against
Georgia." The case, which was first launched in 2001, pertained to
an October 17, 1999 attack against Jehovah's Witnesses carried out
by a radical Orthodox priest, Basil Mkalavishvili and a group of
supporters. The court obligated Georgia to pay compensation to the
amount of 35,000 euros to the victims. The Jehovah's Witnesses
community in Georgia called the decision a significant victory.
2. At the time of the attacks in 1999, Georgian courts did not take
up the case despite a pledge by then President Shevardnadze, to
start criminal proceedings against Mkalavishvili's group. With
their case stalled in the Georgian justice system, and in the face
of continuing attacks by Mkalavishvili's group, the Jehovah's
Witnesses eventually filed a suit directly with the ECHR in 2001.
Mkalavishvili and his supporters were finally arrested by Georgian
authorities and convicted by a Georgian court in 2004, after the
Rose Revolution brought a new Georgian government to power.
3. Genady Gudadze, a leader in the Jehovah's Witnesses community in
Georgia, told us that between 2001 and 2003, they filed more than 30
suits with the ECHR. The May 3 ruling brought the first case to a
close. Encouraged by the verdict, Gudadze said the Jehovah's
Witnesses expect to win the remaining cases as well.
TEFFT