E/CN.4/2004/63/Add.1 page 10 37. The manner in which the Orthodox Church’s attitude to such matters is manifested varies, depending on whether it is expressed by parish - particularly rural - clergy or the top of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, apart from odd occasions such as when Metropolitan Atanase Shakhashvili of Rustavi declared during a television broadcast on 10 February 2002 that “members of sects such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Anglicans and Pentecostalists should be executed”. A number of informants explained that Orthodox priests tend to be poorly educated and take a rather intolerant line owing to their ignorance of other religious communities. The term “sect” is often used in a very pejorative sense to describe any movement that is not Orthodox or is not regarded as “traditional”. 38. As regards religious extremism and violence, the Orthodox Church authorities deplore all violence and point out that Basil Mkalavishvili, the chief instigator of the acts of religious violence (see below, paragraphs 69-80), was excommunicated in 1997. Some parties maintain, however, that in a number of instances Orthodox priests have taken part in - and sometimes organized - violence against religious minorities, and the Church authorities have not distanced themselves sufficiently from them. 39. The Special Rapporteur has also noted the emergence of ultra-Orthodox organizations spreading messages similar to those of Basil Mkalavishvili and his supporters. The most important such organization is called Jvari (the Cross), and its leader, Paata Bluashvili, is said to have taken part personally in attacks on religious minorities. 40. The Orthodox Church does not appear to be moving actively to foster religious tolerance of some religious minorities, if one discounts such occasions as its recent participation in an ecumenical service held at the Baptist Church in T’bilisi on 24 January 2003. 3. Relationship between Church and State 41. As discussed above, orthodoxy is not formally a State religion. The Orthodox Church does, however, have a special place in Georgian society which gives it fairly substantial influence over government policy. As a result, the Special Rapporteur observed that politicians tend to use Orthodox religion as a form of tool and, in some cases, take advantage of the religious fervour of most Georgians. It would be a rare politician, likewise, who had thus far taken an overtly critical attitude towards the Orthodox Church or some of its intrigues. On the other hand, the Orthodox Church appears to make regular use of its unchallenged influence over society to bend government policy in certain directions. V. RELIGIOUS MINORITIES 42. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur met a great many representatives of the religious minorities established in Georgia. Some of these appear to benefit from a sort of special consideration on the part of the majority religion because they have been present in the country for a long time and are thus regarded as “traditional” while others, not considered “traditional” because they have arrived in Georgia since the break-up of the Soviet Union, inspire distrust at best, are described as “sects” and are often the targets of intolerance or physical and/or psychological violence.