Civic movement leader demands Ombudsperson’s involvement in investigation into alleged illegal surveillance on her
Anna Dolidze says that reports on alleged illegal surveillance on her are alarming. Photo: Anna Dolidze’s Facebook page.
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Former official and founder of the civic movement For People Anna Dolidze has stated that the Georgian public defender must get involved in the investigation which is looking into alleged illegal surveillance on her.
Georgian Deputy Interior Minister Kakhaber Sabanadze resigned earlier today amid reports from Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli TV channels on illegal surveillance and hampering an opposition protest back in 2019.
The TV channels released an interview of a former employee of the State Security Service, currently imprisoned Vano Gulashvili, who says that he damaged the opposition’s projector in central Tbilisi on June 20 during the rallies and that he illegally installed cameras in the houses of different individuals according to the demands of Sabanadze and other top officials.
Alarming news: Yesterday TV Mtavari published a testimony by a former security services employee stating that he had installed video surveillance in my apartment and had recorded "private character" materials. This can't pass uninvestigated. I ask for your support in this matter. pic.twitter.com/QDa2uaHi2M
— Anna Dolidze (@dolidze_anna) March 22, 2021
Gulashvili says that he allegedly installed a surveillance camera in the house of Dolidze back in 2014.
The investigation (which has been launched by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office) must specify what kind of surveillance it was, who ordered the surveillance, what was the motivation, whether the materials are still available. There are many questions. I do not believe only in the investigation of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office. The Georgian Public Defender must get involved in the investigation process,” Dolidze has told RFE/RL earlier today.
The Georgian NGOs have already expressed support for Dolidze and have urged for a ‘quick and unbiased investigation’ into the case.
????#GYLA condemns the illegal interference with the right to respect for private life, declares its support to #Ana Dolidze and all victims of illegal covert surveillance @nika_simoni https://t.co/xkV4y5v0Xy
— GYLA (@GYLA_CSO) March 23, 2021
The private and family life of a person is inviolable, and it is inadmissible to illegally interfere in private life, blackmail and persecute persons using illegal covert surveillance records. The state must respond promptly to alleged cases of illegal covert surveillance and protect the privacy of individuals through effective investigative and prosecution mechanisms,” the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has stated.
Dolidze previously served as the head of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, deputy defence minister, the president’s parliamentary secretary and the non-judge member of the High Council of Justice.
While in the High Council of Justice Dolidze stated that the country’s justice system was run by a clan and campaigned against the nomination of several judges to the council and courts.
Last year she created the civic movement For People.
She has plans to create a political party For People.