“The  International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victim (IRCT) is shocked by the reports of the torture and ill-treatment of children in the Ninotsminda orphanage run by the Orthodox Church in Georgia”, the IRCT published a statement based on the information by Georgian Public Defender.

“This is torture and ill-treatment. Make no mistake about it,” said Asger Kjaerum, Director of Advocacy of the IRCT. “Any institution responsible for the care of children must uphold and protect their human rights. Ultimately, it is the State’s responsibility to make sure that the rights are protected through regular monitoring and by sanctioning abuse.”

As the statement notes  “there are currently four criminal charges open against the orphanage relating to rape and violence against minors in the orphanage. The Orthodox Church have been actively preventing government agencies responsible for overseeing the orphanage from monitoring the institution”.