The status of religious freedom continued to improve in Georgia, according to the U.S. Department of State annual International Religious Freedom Report 2006.

The report, which covers the period from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006, says attacks on religious minorities, including violence, verbal harassment, and disruption of services and meetings, “continued to decrease.”

The report notes that while the Prosecutor General's Office increasingly initiated investigations of religious-based violence, “past complaints remained unresolved.”

“Pursuant to a new registration law adopted in April 2005, religious groups can obtain legal status, which provides benefits such as the ability to enter into contracts, open bank accounts, and own property,” the report reads.

The report also recalls numerous Georgian MPs' critical reaction last December to the Public Defender’s human rights report, which called for equal recognition under the law of all religious groups, including the dominant Georgian Orthodox Church.