Bahai community in Armenia. Photo: Chai Khana
Armenia’s small Baha’i community has lived in the country for over a century; now they are finding their place in the new post-revolutionary order. [Read more…]
Being Baha’i in Armenia
Voice | ‘My destiny depends not on the political regime but the way of thinking’
(Photo: minorityaze.org)
Queer people in Azerbaijan frequently face hatred, violence, and isolation. Below is the story of one gay man who for years hid who he was from those closest to him, faced violence and rape during his military service, and despite fleeing to Europe, still faces death threats from his family because of his sexuality. [Read more…]
Council of Europe Racism Commission criticises Georgia’s state religious agency
Muslims of Orta Mosque pray outside the mosque in Batumi (Mari Nikuradze/ OC Media)
The Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has criticised Georgia’s State Agency for Religious Issues for failing to fulfil its recommendations. [Read more…]
New Adjara head faces conservative backlash after approving Batumi mosque
Muslims of Orta Mosque pray outside the mosque in Batumi (Mari Nikuradze/ OC Media)
A controversy over the construction of a second mosque in Batumi has resurfaced after the new head of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze, promised it would go ahead. Batumi’s Muslims have long complained that the city’s only current mosque is too small, but Rizhvadze faced criticism for his decision from a number of ultra-conservative groups including the March of Georgians. [Read more…]
Violence against religious minorities ‘poorly investigated’ in Georgia
Muslims hold a prayer in front of the disputed building in Mokhe (Dato Parulava/Liberali)
Cases of violence based on religious intolerance between 2013–2016 went largely uninvestigated, according to the Georgian Public Defender’s 2017 human rights report. The report said it should be considered a ‘systematic problem’. [Read more…]
Analysis | Are Georgians as tolerant as they claim to be?
(Dato Parulava /Liberali Magazine)
On 15 November, the State Agency for Religious Issues announced an initiative to grant ‘Georgian tolerance’ the status of intangible cultural heritage. Historically, Georgia may have exhibited relatively high levels of tolerance, with many pointing to the reign of King David the Builder in the 12th century. David is celebrated for presiding over the start of the country’s golden age, and many point to his encouragement of other ethnicities settling in Georgia as a good example of Georgian tolerance. [Read more…]
‘Georgian tolerance’ to be declared intangible cultural heritage
Muslims of Mokhe, Adigeni (Dato Parulava /Liberali Magazine)
‘Georgian tolerance’ is to be granted the status of intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture. The initiative was announced by the head of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze on 15 November, at a conference organised by the agency called Inter-religious Dialog for Peace. [Read more…]
Arrests, threats, and humiliation in Azerbaijan’s crackdown on queer people
The office of the queer rights group Gender and Development (Vafa Zeynalova/OC Media)
Last month, reports emerged of the mass detention of queer people in Azerbaijan. OC Media spoke to one of the men caught up in the roundup, and a number of activists offering assistance. They tell of illegal arrests, humiliation, and even torture, as authorities continue to apply pressure. [Read more…]
Georgia’s Mokhe Muslims ‘threatened by Christian leader’
(Tamaz Beridze /OC Media)
Muslims from the village of Mokhe in southern Georgia’s Adigeni Municipality claim they are facing threats from the local Christian authority. Archimandrite Nikoloz Getsadze of Zarzma Monastery warned Muslims to stay away from a disputed building claimed by both local Christians and Muslims, at a spot which muslims used to pray every Friday, local Muslim Tamaz Beridze told OC Media. [Read more…]
Georgian president calls for tolerance towards queer people
(Administration of president)
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has called for more tolerance towards queer people in Georgia, as well as for religious, and ethnic minorities. [Read more…]
