Some of MPs Protest Against Public Defender and Human Rights NGOs

(Tbilisi, June 6, Civil Georgia) – Public Defender Nana Devdariani reports on Public Defender’s Office activity to the Parliament on on June 6. The report covers last six month of the 2001.

Before the speech Nana Devdariani had to react on several MPs’ radical statements and criticism towards her.

Some of the MPs stated at the Parliamentary session that Nana Devdariani defends rights of Jehovah’s Witnesses and not Orthodox Christians in Georgia.

These MPs also protested against the letter sent by the fifteen members of the Untied States Congress to the Georgian President on May 15, 2002 calling on him to help bring an end to the increasing violence against religious minorities.

MP Guram Sharadze and some of his followers stated that letter “is insulting for Georgia.” He said that Nana Devdariani and some local human rights NGOs are informers, because they report international organizations that as if the religious minorities’ rights are violated in Georgia.

International Human Rights NGOs as well as the local organizations together with the Council of Europe criticize Georgia for numerous facts of violation of religious minorities especially Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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