“Our team intends to soon initiate the legal amendments on stricter criminal liability for the offense of the religious premises and items! It applies on the Christian-Orthodox and other religious premises, for instance, mosques, synagogues, catholic and other churches”, - the Chair of the Legal Issues Committee, Anri Okhanashvili stated at the briefing today.

As he noted, the fact that took place yesterday in St. Trinity Cathedral caused a justified protest and unrest of the absolute majority of our society.

“We find the unchristian behavior totally unacceptable, implying the insult to any religion, which triggers an acute and real ground for enmity on a religious basis. It is noteworthy that such anti-ecclesiastic and provocative steps are publicly approved and supported by the leaders of radical political groups rebelling against the church, which encourages other graver offenses against religion. It is aggravated by the fact that some certain persons with a posture to allegedly be orthodox clergymen, make public induces to “drag out a certain icon from the Trinity Cathedral and burn it publicly”. Such coercive induces on a religious basis are unchristian and insult our church and are of grave provocative nature. I need to underline that such behavior and propaganda are insulting and truly revolting for any religion and its representatives. Thus, our positive duty is to ensure due protection of freedom of confession safeguarded under the Constitution of Georgia to prevent insulting of any religion”, - he stated.

According to him, the fact witnessed in the Trinity Cathedral, pursuant to the applicable legislation of Georgia, constitutes an offense and is subject to a respective liability, however, it is not proportional.

“Hence, we have already commenced to scrutinize the hereof issue, including international and especially the EU member states’ experience, the approaches of the Strasbourg Court, we also intend to hold consultations and initiate respective legal amendments. At that, based on the initial inquiry, we are aware that the offense of the religious premises is subject to criminal liability in many of the EU member states, even to detention, for instance, Germany, Austria, Poland, Greece, Italy etc. We aspire to prevent the insult of our churches and cathedrals and the prompting of the enmity on a religious basis”, - he noted.