Ombudsman is informed about the violation of rights of the Georgian Armenian community
On May 28, 2014 the Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia has presented the Parliamentary Report on the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia 2013 to the international organizations, diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia and representatives of civil society.

The Public Defender has highlighted tendencies and priorities in the field of human rights for the reporting period, talked about the report and the recommendations made to different branches of the power.

At the meeting Levon Isakhanyan, the Head of the Legal Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia highlighted the discrimination in the field of restitution of property confiscated from religious minorities during the Soviet era and mentioned that numerous Armenian, Catholic and other minorities’ churches have been appropriated and are being used by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Attention has been paid to the problem of destruction of the Armenian churches on the Georgian territory, including the 14th century Mughnetsots Surb Gevorg church, and a part of the 18th century Surb Nshan church in the historical center of Tbilisi.

In the meantime attention has been paid to the problem of consideration of national minorities as potential source of instability.

Moreover, special attention has been paid to the case of interference of the Azerbaijani officials in Georgia’s internal affairs, which caused violation of cultural rights of the Georgian Armenian community. Regret has been expressed in regard with the fact that the Georgian authorities’ did not condemn interference in their internal affairs by the third country.

In response the Ombudsman of Georgia mentioned that a part of these problems have been mentioned in his report, however, with regard to the case of interference of Azerbaijani authorities in Georgia’s internal affairs he asked to provide with additional information. Detailed information will soon be provided for the Ombudsman’s consideration.