US Ambassador: Georgian Gov’t asked us to help investigate illegal surveillance videos
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United States (US) Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly says the current Georgian Government is "very concerned” about the leak of surveillance videos illegally taped by the previous authorities and have asked the US to help resolve the problem.
Kelly said he was not authorised to give details of the consent but said the US accepted the appeal.
The US diplomat said spreading the illegally obtained videosh showing a person's private life, which most recently rocked Georgia on March 11 and 14, was "totally unacceptable” and "harmful for Georgian democracy.”
Those who are engaged in spreading the videos online know that their actions are harmful for the country and by doing it they try to influence political situations. This topic is very alarming for the Georgian Government,” Kelly said.
The Ambassador announced there was very close, daily cooperation between Georgian-US representatives as the risk of more video leaks remained.
- Hundreds of videos reflecting the private life of Georgian citizens were illegally taped and stored by the previous United National Movement (UNM) government to blackmail people.
- The majority of videos were publicly destroyed by the current Government in 2013 after the Georgian Dream coalition defeated UNM in 2012. Only a small number of videos that were not related to a person’s private life were saved to help any future investigations.
- However since 2014 several videos of a sexual nature have been released on the internet; the latest occurring on March 11 and 14, 2016.
- One video released on YouTube on March 11 allegedly showing an opposition party leader, caused a stir in Georgia and generated significant public backlash.
- About 135 people watched the footage online before law enforcers contacted YouTube administration and blocked the video, reported local media.
- On March 14 another video similar in content appeared on Youtube but it was immediately blocked.
- On March 15 the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia charged five people for keeping this type of illegal videos but the agency did not specify whether these people were responsible for the leak of the two videos.
The Georgian Government said the leak of the videos was an "attack on the Government” while opposition UNM accused the current leadership of spreading the videos.
Meanwhile, leader of opposition party Free Democrats Irakli Alasania said the founder of the currently ruling Georgian Dream coalition, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, was responsible for the illegalities.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says any word that discredits the country's state security services weakens Georgia. He also stressed "certain progress” had been made regarding the investigation about the leak of surveillance videos.
Forty five disks and two Winchester drives with secret video recordings of the private lives of Georgian citizens have been destroyed at the Interior Ministry today.
Parliament of Georgia adopted a comprehensive legislative package to prevent hidden surveillance with 97 votes in favour and zero against at its first hearing at a special sitting in Parliament today.
Illegal surveillance became a subject of intense discussion in Georgia following the revelation thousands of secret video recordings were kept by the former government.
An expert from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrived in Georgia to work with a special group investigating the leak of several private and intimate videos.
Five former officials in the United National Movement (UNM)-led government have been detained in relation to illegally taping and keeping videos showing the private life of citizens, which were leaked online last month.
Today Parliament of Georgia approved amendments to the surveillance law that outlined tough punishments for those who taped, possessed or spread videos showing a person’s private life.
The amendments were approved at its first reading.
Today Tbilisi City Court sentenced three former officials from the former United National Movement (UNM) government for exceeding official powers and using computer systems for illegal benefit.