E/CN.4/2003/66 page 9 31. In a separate incident, a group of Catholics, among them the Apostolic Administrator Bishop Giuseppe Pasotto, who were on a pilgrimage to the mainly Catholic village of Sanavardo, in the Kvareli region on 3 July 2002, were physically attacked by a group of people reportedly sent by two Orthodox priests, allegedly from the local diocese. 32. In this regard, the Government replied that the pilgrims were stopped by an Orthodox priest, Besik Zurabashvili, who told them that they did not have the consent of the bishop. The group agreed and were assisted to Tbilisi. No clashes took place, but activities are under way to identify the persons who accompanied the Orthodox priest. 33. On 1 July 2002, police officers of the Gldani-Nadzaladevi district, Tbilisi, reportedly burst into the home of a Jehovah’s Witness, Guram Pachkhatashvili. They detained him and his son Gia on charges of throwing stones at the unfinished church in Gldani being built by Basil Mkalavishvili. On the way to the police station, the police allegedly led Pachkhatashvili and his son past the church, allowing Mkalavishvili to strike Gia Pachkhatashvili while a mob of his followers verbally abused the two. At the police station, Petre (Gia) Ivanidze reportedly punched Gia Pachkhatashvili in the neck, knocking him down. He then proceeded to assault Guram Pachkhatashvili while the police allegedly looked on. The police are also said to have tried to pressure the two Jehovah’s Witnesses into signing confessions. 34. The Government replied that these allegations have not been confirmed. 35. On 28 June 2002, arsonists reportedly attempted to set fire to a home in the Gori region used for Jehovah’s Witnesses conventions. This incident reportedly occurred after the governor of Gori region, David Koblianidze, visited the site on 16 June 2002 and threats were made that any convention would be viewed as illegal. 36. The Government replied that, on 16 June 2002, Jehovah’s Witnesses held a congress in the village of Ortasheni. The governor and the chief of the local police went to the venue and explained to the participants that they had no right to hold such a meeting, but no conflict took place. 37. So far, it has not been established who set the fire. The investigative unit of the Shida Kartli police department is conducting an inquest in this connection. 38. On 18 June 2002, Justice Nino Jvenitadze of the Supreme Court reportedly upheld a trial court’s decision not to open a criminal case over a September 2001 attack by a “religious extremist” in the town of Kutaisi against two Jehovah’s Witnesses, Manuchar Gaprindashvili and Jemal Margvelani. It has also been reported that, when they took their complaint to the nearest police station, the two Jehovah’s Witnesses were verbally and physically assaulted by a policeman, Temur Kvirikashvili. 39. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank Georgia for its reply. He is still awaiting replies to the communications transmitted in connection with his previous reports, however, in particular those relating to attacks on Jehovah’s Witnesses by religious extremists.