E/CN.4/2004/63/Add.1 page 2 Summary The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief is submitting this report to the Commission on Human Rights following a visit he paid to Georgia from 31 August to 7 September 2003 in fulfilment of his mandate, at his request and at the invitation of the Georgian Government. During his visit and in this report, the Special Rapporteur has concentrated on the status and importance of the Georgian Orthodox Church, including certain aspects of its relationship with the State, the situation of non-Orthodox religious minorities and government policy on freedom of religion or belief, especially as regards the incidents of intolerance or religious violence which have taken place in recent years. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur met a number of representatives of the Georgian Government, legislature and judiciary, and representatives of most of the religious minorities established in Georgia. He also had talks with non-governmental organizations. In his conclusions, the Special Rapporteur warns against the dangers of too close a relationship between the State and the Orthodox Church and the risks that one may become a tool of the other. He emphasizes the possible consequences of the adoption of the constitutional agreement between the State and the Orthodox Church on the treatment of the country’s religious minorities, and recommends that the religious minorities should be granted recognition on an equal footing. On the subject of the serious outbreaks of religious violence against members of religious minorities, he calls on the Georgian authorities to prosecute the perpetrators without delay but also to take steps to ensure that the judicial bodies responsible for conducting proceedings against the perpetrators can operate in complete security and independence and that the victims are afforded appropriate protection. Lastly, he draws the attention of the Georgian authorities to statements arousing religious hatred which have been aired by certain political officials and the media, and reminds them of their related obligations under international law.