Kids in charge of “devilry”

Georgian authorities are trying their best to prove they have nothing to do with the insulting Internet videos against the Catholicos Patriarch that resulted in initiation of a criminal case after massive protest rallies. The investigation revealed the authors of the videos - a school boy and a student. They will be in charge of the anti-church campaign in Georgia.

Scandalous Internet videos have been long associated with the name of Liberty Institute employee Teya Tutberidze who posted them on her Facebook account. She also made a statement live on Kavkasia that Patriarch Ilia II's stand on the war in South Ossetia is pro-Russian and subject to criticism.

All Georgian believers rose to defend the Patriarch. There were suggestions to dismiss Teya Tutberidze from her position and put the Liberty Institute under a ban for moral corruption of the Georgian society. Some governmental officials that are members of the US sponsored malicious organization established to "democratize" the Georgian society were suspected of slandering the Holiest.

But the authorities escaped the accusations referring to Tutberidze's right "to express her opinion". Her dismissal from the Association of School Principals also failed since this NGO is not subordinated to the officials. In the meantime the public protest was gathering pace. A large-scale rally in defense of the Patriarch was planned.

Under a strange set of circumstances Ilia II was denied debates with Teya Tutberidze on Channel 1 forcing the Patriarchate to admit that the anti-church campaign is a well-organized activity.

But last weekend it all came to a happy ending. Instead of debates the Public TV offered the Patriarch a word in a news program. And the head of the church launched a criminal case against production and dissemination of the videos featuring a frivolous nun and a swearing president.

The Interior Ministry claims to have seized material evidence - video files and PCs. Tutberidze was brought to the interrogation in order to determine additional circumstances of the case.

Some interesting details have emerged. The authors of the videos are an unknown school boy of a Tbilisi high school and a student. Allegedly they posted the videos on YouTube at their discretion, and Tutberidze took them from this site "advertizing" them on Kavkasia's air.

So far in interviews with Georgian media the Liberty Institute employee, ex leader of Kmara (Enough!) youth movement has repented for having insulted the feelings of Georgian believers thinking that criticism against the Patriarch was justified. Tutberidze believes Ilia II offended the Georgian nation in his statement that the war and the victims, also on the Georgian side, could have been avoided.

"The Patriarch often mentions orthodox Russia. These are "brethren" and "peacekeeping" bullets that our men fell victims to in the August war. If anybody doubts that I consider it senseless to argue with them. The Patriarch comes forward with a statement accusing the Georgian side. This is an insult against the Georgian nation. People must be offended by this statement the Patriarch made and not by the video I posted on my website", - "the devil incarnate" (nicknamed so by her compatriots) stated.

Will Tutberidze carry punishment under this criminal case? Hardly so. Since she shares the government's opinion on the circumstances of last year's war.

And the Patriarch was "made" to swear in the videos by two ignoramuses - ready specimens of that democracy-driven and respectful of freedom of speech "New Georgian" the Liberty Institute is trying to frame.

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