Statement of Human Rights Center, Article 42 of the Constitution, Public Advocacy, Media Institute about Dismantle of Minaret by Revenue Service

Human Rights Center, Public Advocacy, Article 42 of the Constitution, Media Institute condemn dismantle of mosque minaret in Tchela village in Adigeni district by Revenue Service on August 26. Nongovernmental organizations are particularly disturbed with the coarse forms used against Muslim citizens during dismantle of the minaret that may be identified as insult of religious feelings.

We think that argument of the Revenue Service mentioned in its statement is ungrounded and weak. They claim that minaret was dismantled because of intended inspection of the construction and the Revenue Service is going to restore the minaret again after the inspection is over. Logically, if the RS intends to restore minaret on the place, it is unclear why it was necessary to demolish it?!

We think, RS could estimate the weight of the construction and evaluate its compliance with the good code without dismantling the minaret. Nevertheless, RS used coarse and inadmissible form if problem solution.

Religious feelings of citizens were harassed during previous government too; for example, Orthodox Church constructing on Peria Mountain in Batumi was demolished in 2007 and government claimed that building company did not have relevant permission on the construction. Special unit and administrative inspection officers demolished the church. 

There are two similarities between these two incidents – government used coarse and violent methods and insulted religious feelings of believers whilst it was possible to resolve the problem in peaceful way in both cases.

Unfortunately, the incident of Peria Mountain did not became a good lesson for the representatives of current authority, who were in the opposition then and made same accusations against that-time government which is in the opposition now. Now the United National Movement, being in the opposition, rebukes the government for dismantling the minaret.

We are extremely sorry that representatives of opposition parties continue the “tradition” of their predecessors and provoke religious feelings of citizens in order to obtain political dividends during pre-election campaign.

We call on the government to estimate real reasons of the incident in Tchela village and find out whether it was premeditated provocation. We also call on all political parties not to use the public discontent for their political goals.

Human Rights Center 

Public Advocacy

Article 42 of the Constitution

Media Institute