Journalists, civil activists, and students who actively oppose the Russian Law about Agents are receiving calls from unknown individuals who curse and threaten them with obscenities.
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On the social network Facebook, dozens of posts are emerging where people report being insulted for criticizing the Russian Law. Some have received calls from Ukrainian numbers.
"+380 (0564) 21 07 56 - I received a call from this number. I answered, and the caller started swearing at me. I responded in kind and hung up. They are incapable of doing more than that. Do they think by doing this you will break my heart and mentally harm me, you think this will stop me? For two weeks, they have been wrestling with me, shooting at me, strangling me, and still, I persist. They must understand that we are their judges, and they cannot escape judgment," wrote Tsotne Koberidze, Girchi - More Freedom member and Tbilisi City Council deputy.
+380 (0564) 21 07 84; +380 (0564) 21 07 01; +27 (27) 27 - citizens have also reported receiving calls from these numbers.
"They called me from a Ukrainian number, mentioned my residential address, and threatened to eliminate me in a way that I wouldn't even comprehend," said Giorgi Baskhajauri, a journalist with the Aprili publication. He was physically assaulted by law enforcement officers during his coverage of the April 17 protest.
Literary scholar Levan Berdzenishvili, who has been repeatedly targeted by the government, wrote on Facebook that he too received a call: "They called me last. I am disappointed with Mamuka and the guys. Am I a man to be forgotten?"
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has not confirmed whether an investigation has been initiated. Information regarding the response has not yet been shared with the Personal Data Protection Service.
Cybersecurity expert Andro Gotsiridze warns citizens not to disclose their personal information during incoming calls from abroad.
"Do not answer questions, do not provide data, do not call back - there is a risk of substantial monetary deductions. Remember that today, even your voice is considered information, which can be recorded during the call and later manipulated to create fake conspiracies or fabricate offensive or sexual content for the purpose of discrediting. It is best not to answer the call, or at least not to respond to offensive language," advises the expert.
As Andro Gotsiridze explains, it is possible to steal information or infect your phone through foreign calls made in certain applications. However, an SMS message, which could contain a virus, is more dangerous than a phone call. The expert advises against clicking on links, opening, or downloading files. "There is a high probability that if you take such actions, the criminal will gain access to information, passwords, correspondence, etc., on your phone," notes Andro Gotsiridze.
Opponents of the Russian law were also attacked today. After leaving the Swedish embassy, a man physically and verbally assaulted Giorgi Klidiashvili, the director of the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information, as well as the camera crew of the Formula TV station.
On May 5 in Lanchkhuti, an attack occurred on Lado Abkhazava, a teacher and active participant in the protests against the Russian law, and his son at the entrance. On May 3, young people returning home from the rally were physically assaulted. So far, the police have not made any arrests.
