Friday, December 5, 2025

Priests attacked at Armenian church in Tbilisi

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The incident took place inside the Surb Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi. (Photo published by the Armenian Diocese.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–About 50 people physically attacked priests at an Armenian Church in Tbilisi on Saturday.

The Armenian Orthodox Church says the attack was motivated by religious and ethnic prejudice, but Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs

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British citizen tells of racial discrimination in Tbilisi

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British dancer Aaron Shikamaru Charles says he is being repeatedly harassed because of the color of his skin in Tbilisi.

TBILISI, DFWatch–A British citizen says he has been subjected to racial discrimination in Tbilisi.

Dancer Aaron Shikamaru Charles has lived in Georgia for two years. His wife, Nutsa Eristavi, is Georgian and the artist couple carry out joint projects here.

Aaron says

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New report details obstacles for minorities in Georgia

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Exams in Marneuli, a predominantly ethnic Azeri town south of Tbilisi. (DF Watch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–There are many obstacles to integrating minorities in Georgia, according to a new report published on Thursday by the Ministry of Reconciliation and Civil Equality.

Problems include access to information and education, not knowing the

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How well did Georgia's local election include minorities?

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From left to right: Zurab Jibghashvili, constitutional expert, Zaur Khalilov, Executive Director of Civic Integration Foundation, and Agit Mirzoyev, Director of the Analytical Center for Cooperation and Consultations Between Ethnicities. (DF Watch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–On June 23, DF Watch invited members of three non-governmental organizations working with minority issues to discuss how well ethnic minorities were able to participate in the June 15 local election.

Our point of departure was the fact that

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Jehova's Witnesses still under pressure in Georgia

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Jehova’s Witnesses praying in Khobi, Georgia. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Jehovah’s Witnesses in Georgia continue to be under pressure as another community denies the establishment of a prayer house.

This time, it is locals in Terjola, a town in Imereti, western Georgia, who refuse to allow another community

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Language exams prepare Azeri-Georgian youth for university

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Youth in the predominantly ethnic Azeri town Marneuli can take a one year course in Georgian language to prepare them for university. (DF Watch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tural is a 19 years old high school graduate who plans to go on to university and study IT. The problem is, the teaching language at university is Georgian, which he doesn’t know well enough.

Like many of his peers, Tiral chose to study

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Mother claims daughter discriminated against by priest

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Levon Isakhanyan (left) and Inna Sukiasyan.

TBILISI, DFWatch–A mother claims a priest forced her daughter to leave a church a few days ago because of her ethnicity. The priest denied this.

Inna Sukiasyan, who is of Armenian origins, last week wrote on her Facebook page and later told journalists that

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Orthodox activists protest evangelical event in Tbilisi

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Giorgi Gabedava, candidate for Tbilisi City Council. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of Orthodox Christian activists protest against the international evangelistic Festival of Hope to be held in Georgia and call on people not to attend.

Clerics and their supporters gathered at a church in Didube, the district of Tbilisi where

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