E/CN.4/2000/65 page 12 Under pressure from the Georgian Orthodox Church, the authorities were making it difficult to secure a permit to build places of worship for the Protestant and Armenian orthodox communities. 41. Georgia replied that its Constitution and Penal Code guaranteed freedom of religion and belief and the Government had taken positive measures in the area of human rights. No cases of torture or arbitrary arrest on grounds of religion and belief had been reported and the authorities were doing their best to guarantee the right to manifest one’s religion and belief (meetings and places of worship). It was pointed out that the educational system provided an understanding of tolerance and respect for freedom of religion and belief, specifically through the study of human rights, debates and lectures. There had been incidents in some parts of the country, but the problem had been cleared up. With regard to the restitution of a synagogue, the Government explained that the occupants were demanding payment for their repair work, alleging that it was a religious study centre, that the building had been rented to a theatre company and not to the State and that the two existing Tbilisi synagogues were sufficient to accommodate the religious rites of the Jewish community. It stated that the Catholic and Armenian churches had not claimed restitution of their property in a court of law. It pointed out that they had no claims against the Orthodox Church and that there was nothing to impede fulfilment of their request to build new churches, provided that it was in keeping with the law. Lastly, it indicated that a place of worship had been allocated to the Catholic Church in Tbilisi. Greece 42. It is alleged that the municipality of Galatsi, a number of its residents and the officially recognized Greek Orthodox Church are attempting to take possession of the Church of Saint Savas in Panorama Galatsiou region, which belongs to the Old Calendarist Orthodox Church, despite a judgement in the latter’s favour. Furthermore, members of the Old Calendarist Orthodox Church are said to have been arrested and charged with disturbing a religious gathering of persons who were in fact using their church illegally. 43. Greece replied: “On examination of the case of the property of the Church of Saint Savas in the Panorama Galatsiou region, contested by the Orthodox Church and the Old Calendarists, the competent Greek authorities have concluded that what seems like an act of religious extremism in the information received by the Special Rapporteur is in reality a civil law controversy, upon which the competent Courts of Justice have undertaken and, as acts liable to punishment have taken place meanwhile, the case is pending before justice”. 44. According to a second communication, the Kassandra municipality in Halkidiki, with the assistance of the Greek Orthodox Church, allegedly objected, through a campaign of hostility among the population, to the construction of a lecture hall by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, despite a favourable decision by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs.