TBILISI, DFWatch–Rainbow Europe’s LGBTI rights ranking praises positive developments in Georgia despite major setbacks.
Georgia was placed in the middle of a ranking of European countries which assessed each country’s legislation regarding
Minorities
Two mosques given heritage protection in southern Georgia
ADIGENI, DFWatch–Two mosques in the south of Georgia were Monday granted cultural heritage status.
We went to the Samtskhe-Javakheti region to see how religious minorities are living there.
One of the mosques designated as cultural heritage lies in the middle of the village Adigeni.
LGBT organisations distance themselves from same-sex marriage initiative
Tbilisi, DFWatch – LGBT rights organisations condemn Giorgi Tatishvili’s initiative for same-sex marriages as a provocation and accuse pro-Russian political and radical religious forces of interference.
On 27 January, Giorgi Tatishvili, an activist
Kist man claims ethnically motivated assault by Akhmeta police
Tbilisi, DFWatch – 24-years-old Aslan Tsutsashvili from Pankisi valley accuses Akhmeta police of physical assault on ethnic grounds.
The incident allegedly
Muslims in Batumi present 12,000 signatures in support of new mosque
BATUMI, DFWatch–Muslims gathered at the Orta Jame mosque in Batumi on Thursday and presented over 12,000 signatures in support of constructing a new mosque.
Orta Jame is the only mosque in Batumi, Georgia’s second largest city, and it has been overcrowded
Transgender woman found dead in Tbilisi
TBILISI, DFWatch–A transgender woman was found dead in her apartment in Tbilisi on Thursday. She had apparently suffocated due to a gas leak.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) confirmed the death of Bianka Shigurova and said an investigation has been
Georgia may amend Constitution to bar same-sex marriage
TBILISI, DFWatch–A controversy is brewing in Georgia over whether it should be written into the Constitution that a marriage is union between a man and a woman.
The idea has been around at least since former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili suggested it in March
Petition for new mosque in Batumi collects 5,000 signatures in one day
TBILISI, DFWatch–Supporters of a second mosque in Batumi began collecting signatures Friday. The city on Georgia’s Black Sea coast is largely Muslim but the only mosque has been overcrowded for decades.
Signatures were collected at a corner of the Orta Jame
Shots fired at Jehovah's Witnesses house in Tbilisi – again
TBILISI, DFWatch–For a second time in one week, gunshots have been fired at a congregation hall used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in Tbilisi.
Monday morning, someone fired shots at the Kingdom Hall building in Vazisubani, a suburb in the Georgian capital.