NEWS

Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s office launches investigation into alleged ‘leaked SSS files’

The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has urged media outlets which received the ‘leaked files’ to cooperate with law enforcers.

Agenda.ge, 14 Sep 2021 - 15:09, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the release of alleged files on clerics and politicians leaked from Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS).

PM Garibashvili says ‘leaked files’ are UNM ‘dirty, anti-state provocation’

The Prosecutor’s Office has urged everyone, including media outlets, which have the files to cooperate with investigators.

We also urge everyone to refrain from releasing personal information or identifying individuals (from the leaked files),” said the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

Georgian media outlets received a link to thousands of files yesterday from one ‘Hakim Pasha,’ titled 'Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate.’

Georgian media outlets receive ‘leaked files’ with alleged compromising materials on clerics

The unidentified sender wrote that he had spent several years working in the SSS, ‘the agency which is the biggest threat to the country, which listens to everyone and which has made the church one of the biggest evils in Georgia.’

The files allegedly contained data obtained via illegal surveillance since 2014, under the Georgian Dream (GD) government.

The files contain personal data of top clerics. Some of the files point at alleged crimes like sexual relations with minors, taking bribes in exchange for mediation to pardon an inmate, spying for Russia and other crimes.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that ‘it is a dirty provocation of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party against state institutions.’

The opposition, Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria and International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy have stated that the SSS is likely to be engaged in illegal surveillance to use the data to blackmail individuals.

The files have been removed from the Internet.

PM Garibashvili says ‘leaked files’ are UNM ‘dirty, anti-state provocation’

14 Sep 2021

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has responded to the release of alleged files on clerics and politicians leaked from Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS), stating that it is a ‘dirty provocation of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party against state institutions.’He said that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) is ‘well-aware’ of the UNM goal to ‘undermine state institutions and damage the country’s image.’

Georgian media outlets receive ‘leaked files’ with alleged compromising materials on clerics

13 Sep 2021

Georgian media outlets have received files allegedly leaked from the country’s State Security Service (SSS), which contain personal data on clerics. The media outlets received a link to the files earlier today from ‘Hakim Pasha,’ titled 'Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate.’

Georgian State Security Service investigates disclosure of state secrets

10 Aug 2021

The Georgian State Security Service has launched an investigation into the disclosure of state secrets under the classification of ‘secret,’ the body reported earlier today. The official statement of the State Security Service reads that the facts of public information dissemination about the official duties of the body’s staff and officials have become more frequent recently, noting that it ‘clearly violates the law on State Secrets.’

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24 Mar 2017

With 93 votes for and 21 against the Georgian Parliament has adopted the final draft of a law on surveillance overturning President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s veto.

Ruling party: UNM plans to release more personal footage of public figures

14 Sep 2021

The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says that the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party has plans to release secret recordings of the private life of public figures ‘or their fabrication’ from abroad in the coming days to spark tension ahead of the October 2 municipal elections.

PM Garibashvili on leaked files: every traitor, author of dirty conspiracy will be punished

14 Sep 2021

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has called the recent leakage of files against clerics and politicians 'a direct conspiracy' aimed to cause misunderstanding between the church and the state. "There is a very strong and solid unity between the government and the church and this will be always be so”, PM Garibashvili said earlier today.

Leaked files: opposition demands creation of parliamentary investigation commission

15 Sep 2021

Lelo - Partnership for Georgia opposition parliamentary faction and ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party have demanded the creation of a parliamentary investigation commission on the personal data files allegedly ‘leaked’ from the country’s State Security Service (SSS).

Ruling party: UNM concerned by ‘extremely calm’ election environment, plans 'serious provocations’

15 Sep 2021

The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says that the United National Movement (UNM) opposition ‘is very much concerned by the extremely calm pre-election environment’ in Georgia and has plans to stage ‘serious provocations’ ahead of the October 2 municipal elections.

Leaked files: investigation underway, journalists being questioned

16 Sep 2021

Police are looking into the authenticity of allegedly leaked files on clerics and politicians from the State Security Service (SSS) which surfaced on September 13. Georgian media outlets received thousands of files titled 'Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate’ online from an unidentified sender which contain data of possible illegal surveillance by the state body.

Patriarchate on leaked files: we are waiting for explanations from gov’t

17 Sep 2021

The Georgian Patriarchate says it is waiting for the Georgian government to explain alleged leaked files on clerics from the State Security Service (SSS) which surfaced on September 13. Secretary of Georgian Patriarch Ilia II and Archpriest Mikael Botkoveli stated that the Patriarchate of Georgia will make an official statement regarding the issue in about two days, noting that a meeting of a Holy Synod has not been scheduled yet.

IDFI: leaked files likely point to systematic illegal surveillance

17 Sep 2021

Allegedly leaked files on clerics and politicians from the State Security Service (SSS) are highly unlikely to be falsified and indicate systematic illegal surveillance, the country’s well-respected, non-governmental Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) reports. Thousands of files containing the personal data of clerics and politicians obtained via alleged illegal surveillance were published on the internet several days ago and sent to various media outlets.

PM Garibashvili on leaked files: this is conspiracy against state, church

18 Sep 2021

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated that the release of alleged leaked files on clerics from Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) is a conspiracy against the state and the church. Garibashvili said that the country’s opposition ‘launched a dirty campaign’ against the Patriarchate and church a year ago, noting that ‘their main goal is to discredit the church, the army, the police in order to demoralise them.’

Opposition leader Khazaradze on leaked files: my communication with various clerics are recorded

20 Sep 2021

Leader of the opposition Lelo for Georgia party Mamuka Khazaradze has stated that the leaked files on clerics from the State Security Service (SSS) which surfaced on September 13 contain documents of his communication with seven bishops, monastery leaders and abbots. Khazaradze was questioned by the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office earlier today after which he stated that the law enforcers showed him the materials for the last three years revealing the illegal surveillance, noting that a total of 40 episodes were introduced to him.

Ruling party denies MEP accusations that Georgian President Zurabishvili has been under surveillance

13 Oct 2021

Member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael Gahler has stated that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili reported to foreign diplomats that she is under surveillance following the dissemination of alleged ‘leaked files.’ Various Georgian media outlets received links to thousands of files titled ‘Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate’ from an unidentified sender which contained data obtained via possible illegal surveillance by the country’s State Security Service (SSS).

Higher quality of prosecutorial activities, victim-oriented criminal policy in Prosecutor General’s five-year action plan

18 Feb 2022

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia will aim to improve the overall quality of prosecutorial activities, develop a victim-oriented criminal policy, and increase the flexibility and efficiency of the institute of plea bargaining, among other objectives revealed by Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze on Friday.