Imprisoned Cleric's Family Sets up Tents at Patriarchate

The family of Father Giorgi Mamaladze, who was arrested in February 2017 and charged with planning a murder and ordered to nine years in prison in September, has launched protests and set up tents at the Patriarchate of Georgia, asking for the Eucharist for the archpriest.

Brother of the cleric, Tornike Mamaladze, says that the archpriest has health problems and spiritual difficulties and needs the Eucharist, which he had been denied.

“My brother is innocent. We were waiting for the position of the Patriarchate for two years. Today, we asked the Patriarchate to give him the Eucharist, but they have not responded. Therefore, we decided to set up tents: we are starting a 24-hour protest,” Mamaladze said.

Several days ago, Mamaladze’s lawyer Davit Jandieri said the cleric’s case was sent to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). 

“On 31 January, I filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of archpriest Giorgi Mamaladze. We hope that the ECHR will take into consideration the violation of human rights in this case,” he noted.

Archpriest Mamladze was arrested on February 10 at Tbilisi Airport. The clergyman was detained with cyanide en route to Berlin, where Georgia’s Catholicos-Patriarch was having a gall bladder operation. Shorena Tetruashvili was at the hospital with the Patriarch.

The court said the cleric was preparing to murder the Georgian Patriarch’s Secretary, Shorena Tetruashvili.

The investigation established that Archpriest Mamaladze, aiming to improve his career prospects, had decided to murder Tetruashvili by means of cyanide.

The defense has reiterated many times that the Archpriest is the victim of a group of high-ranking people at the Patriarchate who wanted to remove him from the position of Head of the Property Management Department of the Patriarchate.

Giorgi Mamaladze denies all charges.

By Thea Morrison

Photo: Netgazeti