surveillance

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A screenshot from the TV Maestro programme in which the recording was published.

Georgia

Leaked recording suggests surveillance of Georgian newsroom

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•2 min read

A leaked audio recording of employees of Mtavari discussing editorial matters suggests that the pro-opposition TV station may have been illegally monitored. On Wednesday, Gia Gachechiladze, known as ‘Utsnobi’, released the recording on his own TV show, ‘Utsnobis kidobani’, on the pro-government TV station Maestro. Gachechiladze is a singer and conservative activist and has been an outspoken critic of the opposition United National Movement Party since they were in power 10 years ago. Gachech

Georgia

Georgian Dream pushes ahead with invasive new surveillance bill

by Shota Kincha

•2 min read

Members of Georgia’s ruling party have tabled proposals to expand the powers of law enforcement agencies and the security services to indefinitely surveil suspects in criminal cases. Georgian Dream MPs tabled a draft proposal amid outcry from watchdog groups, who say the amendments are unnecessary and invasive. On Thursday, 11 civil rights groups, including Transparency International Georgia, the Social Justice Centre, and the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, released a joint statement c

Armenia

Police surveillance bill passes first hearing in Armenia

by OC Media

•3 min read

A draft law that would give Armenian police the right to monitor people’s phone conversations, so long as they receive approval from a court, has passed its first hearing in parliament. The draft bill, passed by parliament on 10 December, must still go through a final second hearing. Armenia’s police have always had the right to tap phone calls, but only if they received court approval and the go-ahead from the National Security Service (NSS). Under the new law, the police would no longe

Georgia

Detained former Georgian official threatens to bring down government with ‘kompromat’

by OC Media

•4 min read

A former official on trial for ‘compromising’ the Khorava Street murder investigation has threatened to release incriminating recordings of senior officials which he claimed could bring down the government, Rustavi 2 has reported. In a series recordings aired by Rustavi 2 on Sunday, a man identified as Mirza Subeliani, a former high-level official at the Prosecutor’s Office, alleged that he had secretly agreed with the authorities to serve a year in prison over the controversial investigati

fresco

Fresco fined for women’s changing room cameras

by OC Media

•1 min read

Georgia’s Personal Data Protection Inspector imposed a ₾2,000 ($800) fine on 11 July on supermarket chain Fresco, for violating rules on video surveillance. The inspector began investigating Fresco in April, after reports emerged of surveillance cameras being installed in women’s staff changing rooms. The Data Protection Inspector ordered Fresco to immediately halt surveillance in dressing rooms and to destroy all footage recorded. ‘As a result of the investigation of Fresco Ltd we establi

fresco

Fresco slammed for installing surveillance cameras in women’s dressing rooms

by OC Media

•2 min read

Georgian supermarket chain Fresco has been accused by former and current employees of ‘secretly spying’ on them, after installing video cameras in women’s dressing rooms. ‘They are spying on us while we change clothes’, a group of employees said on 11 April at a press conference. According to them, two male security officers have access to the footage. ‘We heard voices of laughter while we were changing in the dressing room’, they said. Fresco has confirmed that they installed surveillanc

Georgia

Georgian activists and president to appeal new surveillance law

by OC Media

•2 min read

Approximately 300 activists are planning to appeal a controversial newly-adopted surveillance law to Georgia’s highest court, the Constitutional Court. President Giorgi Margvelashvili announced on 7 April his plans to address the court in support of the activists, while speaking to the country from Parliament. He said that he shares the concerns of civil society organisations over the new law. Georgia’s parliament overrode President Giorgi Margvelashvili’s veto of the controversial surve