The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has started an investigation after a video footage allegedly showing an assault on an Orthodox church member by his colleague was broadcast on TV on Sunday.
The inquiry follows video footage released by TV Pirveli and showing both the assailant and his alleged victim dressed as clergymen. In the footage, the victim is assaulted after being accused of paedophilia and homosexuality, while the man under the assault pleads with the alleged colleague to cease the attack.
In a response on Monday, the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church said the two individuals were lay brothers and not senior clergymen, while condemning the incident as “un-Christian” and “immoral”.
Orthodox priest Shalva Kekelia also responded to the incident by telling the Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty he had been aware of the “different sexual orientation” of the victim and had warned him on multiple occasions to “take off his clerical uniform”, with no effect. Kekelia also claimed neither of the individuals in the video were clergymen.
A statement released by the interior ministry said its investigation was looking into the matter with potential charges of “persecution” and unlawful dissemination of information on private life through media.