Georgia signs deal with FBI to jointly fight crime, terrorism

Georgian and American law enforcement agencies are intensifying their collaboration so the sides can share information and better investigate criminal cases.

Today Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) signed a new agreement on cooperation in the field of investigation of criminal cases.

The document, signed by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Archil Talakvadze and FBI legal attaché Kathleen Canning, will see the two countries actively cooperate in achieving criminal justice purposes.

"I am very happy to announce that the FBI in conjunction with criminal justice information services has engaged in a very formal agreement with the Government of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to share biometrics,” Canning said.

"So what that means is now we have been engaged in the sharing agreement for fingerprints, and other biometric information such as facial recognition that now both of our countries can share and have access to.

"I think it will help both of our countries more forward in fighting criminal activity as well as counter-terrorism and our efforts to combat terrorism in both of our countries.”

The cooperation will include detection of accused and criminals, fingerprint identification and data exchange, arrest, detention, release before trial, prosecution, judgment, supervision and rehabilitation as well as the fight against terrorism and crime prevention.

The agreement will also see Georgia and the US cooperate to ensure the protection of human rights and freedoms.