The American non-governmental organization, the Atlantic Council, has responded to the search and seizure of electronic devices by the Ministry of Finance's investigative service in Georgia. The organization announced that it will continue monitoring the situation and expressed hope that the Georgian government will provide greater clarity in its actions.
News
Trending stories
- 1 Protests Erupt in Abkhazia Over Russia-Favored Law, Opposition Members Arrested
- 2 Kobakhidze: German Chancellor Should Be More Concerned About His Own Problems
- 3 Edison: 13% Discrepancy Between Exit Polls and CEC Results Suggests Manipulation
- 4 US-Sanctioned Russian Propagandist Present in Georgia During Elections
- 5 Judge of Tetritskaro Annuls Results of 30 Precincts Over Vote Secrecy Violations
- 6 President’s Lawsuit on Elections Registered by Constitutional Court
“The Atlantic Council is deeply concerned about this development and its impact on our staff’s work shortly before Georgian elections. Our Georgian colleagues, Sopo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili, are engaged in independent, non-partisan work aimed at defending and strengthening democracy from those who would undermine it in online spaces, including research related to foreign influence efforts, the targeting of marginalized communities, and other online harms.
We trust that Georgian authorities will provide more clarity on their actions, ensure the safety and security of our staff, return their property, and allow them to continue their contributions to Georgian democracy.
The Atlantic Council has long been a champion of a democratic and independent Georgia and its aspirations to join the institutions of the transatlantic community. The Digital Forensic Research Lab publishes research that highlights the importance of discourse and objective information as a foundation of free, open, and democratic countries. The Atlantic Council will continue its work in Georgia in the spirit of its mission of shaping the global future together with partners and allies. We will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the Atlantic Council said in a statement.
On October 24, the Ministry of Finance's investigative service conducted several simultaneous searches in Tbilisi and Kutaisi. Investigators entered the apartments of Georgian employees of the Atlantic Council, Eto Buziashvili and Sopo Gelava, seizing their laptops and phones. Buziashvili and Gelava specialize in investigating Russian disinformation. Additionally, Gelava's husband, Giorgi Noniashvili, is a member of the political council of the Federalists party.
The investigative service also searched the office of the American company Concentrix, located in Vake. This major U.S. business services provider entered the Georgian market in 2021 with the support of the Invest in Georgia agency.
In Kutaisi, investigators searched the home of businessman Valeri Tkeshelashvili. According to Tkeshelashvili, district inspectors initially visited his family in the morning, followed later by financial police officers who informed him they suspected his involvement with call centers. Tkeshelashvili stated, "I have never had any connection with call centers. Their goal is to intimidate people. Our family does not support Kotsebi (GD members) and never has."
The Ministry of Finance’s investigative service issued a statement explaining that, based on received operational information, investigative activities were conducted in three alleged so-called call centers. The agency indicated that updates on the investigation's progress would be periodically provided to the public.
On this topic:
