Police arrest Orthodox church member for assaulting lay brother in Tbilisi

Police have arrested an Orthodox church member, identified only as V.G., for assaulting a lay brother in the capital Tbilisi on Tuesday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia said earlier today.

The arrest follows an investigation launched yesterday after video footage showing an assault on an Orthodox church member by his colleague was broadcast on TV on Sunday.

• Interior ministry launches investigation into assault after TV broadcast of video of Orthodox church members

The video showed an assault on the victim after him being accused of paedophilia and homosexuality, while he pleaded with the alleged colleague to cease the attack.

A statement released by the ministry said the offender was charged with persecution, as well as unlawful dissemination of information on private life through media.

In its response to the incident on February 21, the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church said the two individuals were lay brothers and condemned the incident as “un-Christian” and “immoral.”