Civic activists, NGOs to protest barring of inspectors in Ninotsminda boarding school

Georgian civic activists and NGOs have plans to gather at the administration building of the government of Georgia at 6 p.m. today, on International Children's  Day, to protest the decision of the leadership of Ninotsminda boarding school in eastern Georgia not to allow inspectors, including the country’s ombudsperson, to carry out monitoring there. 

NGOs and the public defender have expressed the suspicion for almost a year that the children in the boarding school, which is subordinated to the Georgian patriarchate, may be victims of violence. 

They have called for the closure of all large boarding schools in the country, stating that children's rights are mostly ignored in such facilities. 

The archbishop of Skhalta Spiridon, who administers the facility, has accused Public Defender Nino Lomjaria of ‘anti-Christian activities’ and stated that inspectors will not be allowed into the boarding school.

Archbishop Spiridon says that the people who have anti-Christian attitudes have nothing to do with the children of the boarding school. 

I will not allow them to touch my children. These are the people who protect and support the LGBT community and same-sex marriage,” Spiridon said. 

A social worker visited the boarding school for the last time in June 2020. 

On May 19, 2021, representatives of the Public Defender of Georgia paid a visit to the Ninotsminda children's boarding school. 

However, despite the calls of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, they were still not allowed to conduct monitoring. 

Lomajaria says that her office ‘has repeatedly appealed’ to the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs and LEPL Agency for State Care and Assistance for Victims of Trafficking,’ but they do not have timely or effective communication with the Public Defender's Office and no effective measures have been taken to protect the rights and interests of the beneficiaries of the boarding school yet.’ 

Currently there are 57 children in the boarding school. The youngest one is five-year-old.