Pedophilia, ties with Russia… Georgian Orthodox Church amid yet another scandal

Georgia’s Office of Prosecutor General has launched investigation in regard to a media report on tapping of lergymen, according to a statement posted on the website of the agency, the Georgian service of Sputnik said. A criminal case has been initiated based on violation of privacy. ”All necessary investigative and trial actions will be carried out in the framework of investigation of the case. We urge all people who might have illegal recordings and materials to collaborate with the investigation. At the same time we urge all media, which possess materials on this to collaborate with the investigation and to provide available evidence,’’ the statement said. Prior to that Pirveli opposition TV broadcast recordings of phone conversations of representatives of Georgian clergy. According to press reports this information was provided to opposition TV channels by a former official of the State Security Service (SSS). The word is about over 3000 files containing tapping of phone conversations of over 100 clergymen. According to a file deciphered by TV Pirveli , a Georgian clergyman passed information on personal meetings of Catholicos of All Georgians Patriarch Ilia II, as well as some information from Lugar laboratory of Tbilisi to a Russian citizen Lolita Danilova.

The information leak from the State Security Service shows that the agency has closely monitored personal life of Georgian top clergymen, revealed sexual ties between clergymen. Also there are statements on cases of pedophilia by clergymen, names and other information on children are provided. The Georgian Orthodox Church has not officially commented on the scandal. Meanwhile reporters of opposition Mtavari TV have published results of their reporter investigation. According to these results, the leak of secret recordings from the State Security Service had been carried out by a former employee of the SSS, Akaki Nemsadze, who committed suicide on 8 July. Nemsadze decided to publish the materials prior to his death and sent the files to opposition media outlets.