Supporters of Defrocked Priest Held Protest Rally

(Tbilisi, June 9 2003, Civil Georgia) – Supporters of the Defrocked Orthodox priest Basil Mkalavishvili hold a protest rally in front of the Tbilisi district court demanding cancellation of the pre-trial detention warrant on Mkalavishvili.

On June 4 the Vake-Saburtalo court sentenced Mkalavishvili to three month pre-trial detention. He faces charges of organized violence against Jehovah’s Witnesses and burning their religious literature over a period of several years.   

However the police could not arrest the extremist priest as his supporters prevented the police from taking Mkalavishvili in detention. Mkalavishvili has taken refuge in his church in Tbilisi.

The lawyers of Mkalavishvili appealed the district court demanding cancellation of decision of the Vake-Saburtalo court. The trial was scheduled for today but was postponed.

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