Defrocked Georgia priest convicted for religious violence.Plagued with brutal religious strife, the Georgia government has taken action to punish a priest who is charged with inciting violent attacks against religious minorities. In late January, a court in Tbilisi, the capital of the former Soviet republic, sentenced a defrocked priest, Basil Mkalavishvili, to six years in prison for leading violent attacks against religious minorities and destruction of property. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Human Rights Watch, Mkalavishvili has terrorized religious minorities in the country since 1999. A statement from the watchdog group released in January states that the priest led attacks against Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian group originating in the United States at the end of the 19th cent., organized by Charles Taze Russell, whose doctrine centers on the Second Coming of Christ. , Pentecostals, Baptists and other religious minorities. Allegedly mobs organized by Mkalavishvili invaded religious services, beat congregants and ransacked ran·sack tr.v. ran·sacked, ran·sack·ing, ran·sacks 1. To search or examine thoroughly. 2. To search carefully for plunder; pillage. or looted loot n. 1. Valuables pillaged in time of war; spoils. 2. Stolen goods. 3. Informal Goods illicitly obtained, as by bribery. 4. homes and property of religious minorities. The Human Rights Watch suggests that the new government led by Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil Saakashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ სააკაშვილი) (born December 21, 1967) is a Georgian politician and the current President of Georgia. and his National Movement Party, which was swept into power in 2004 following widespread protests over Eduard Shcvadnadze's manipulation of elections, has played an important role in finally bring about Mkalavishvili's conviction. |
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