E/CN.4/2004/63/Add.1 page 16 78. Though the President of the Republic stated at an ecumenical ceremony in T’bilisi Central Baptist Church on 14 March 2003 that those responsible for such acts would be punished, individuals armed with axes smashed the antenna of a radio station in Kuthaisi on 28 March 2003 because it was broadcasting a weekly Catholic programme (see above). 79. A more recent hearing, scheduled for 16 May 2003, again had to be postponed because the alleged victims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, were reportedly reluctant to attend on security grounds. In the proceedings currently in progress, only the three incidents involving Jehovah’s Witnesses have been retained for examination out of the five incidents with which the accused were originally charged. 80. In a recent development, on 4 June 2003, sympathizers prevented the police from apprehending Basil Mkalavishvili pursuant to an order to take him into pre-trial detention for three months. The most recent reports to reach the Special Rapporteur indicate that Mkalavishvili has not yet been found. 4. Attitude and position of the authorities 1. The Executive 81. The authorities, particularly at the ministerial level, mostly acknowledge that there is a real problem and say that steps must be taken to protect religious minorities and prosecute those that persecute them. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has even described the persecution of religious minorities as a “disgrace” for Georgia. 82. The authorities feel, however, that the current problem will not persist, considering that the impunity enjoyed to date by those responsible for the acts of violence is not a consequence of inadequate legislation or a lack of conformity between national and international law, but rather one of general inefficiency in enforcing Georgian law. 83. Given this situation, on 4 March 2003 the President of the Republic, who has openly condemned acts of violence and religious intolerance, issued decree No. 68 approving a Plan of Action on Strengthening Human Rights Protection of Minorities Permanently Residing in Georgia for 2003-2005. The main objectives of this plan are to restore the historical traditions of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among members of different ethnic and religious groups in Georgia, to promote and protect human rights and the freedoms of minorities, to encourage civil integration within Georgian society, and to forestall all displays of intolerance. Among the goals it sets, special note should be taken of the measures proposed to deal with problems of religious intolerance, including eliminating all forms of religious extremism and promoting a culture of tolerance, encouraging religious tolerance through the press and electronic media, identifying and prosecuting those responsible for religious extremism, and eliminating all forms of discrimination based on religion. 2. The judiciary 84. The authorities stressed that in no case was religious violence the result of State policy even if some members of Parliament support those responsible for such violence.