The Democracy Research Institute has addressed the Parliament of Georgia with an initiative to establish a fact-finding commission relating to the cases of wiretapping and spread of recordings. The organization has already sent letters to four parliamentary factions: Georgian Dream, United National Movement - United Opposition, Strength in Unity, Charles Michel Reform Group and Lelo - Partnership for Georgia.

 

According to the stories aired by various TV channels during the past few days, the State Security Service has been involved in mass wiretapping and surveillance.

 

Wiretapping and secret surveillance of public officials and clergy, as well as obtaining the footage of their private lives, without proper legal basis, constitutes a deviation from the constitutional order of state institutions and poses a serious threat to the development of the country.

According to Article 42 of the Constitution of Georgia and Article 61 of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Georgia, a fact-finding commission may be established in the Parliament of Georgia in case of existence of specific grounds. The above-mentioned factual circumstances prove that there has been an illegal action committed by a state body, which, according to legislation, is one of the grounds for the establishment of a fact-finding commission.

Although the Georgian Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the above cases, [1] the DRI does not expect the agency to conduct an effective investigation considering the past practice.

 

Based on the above, the Democracy Research Institute called on the parliamentary factions to use the authority granted by Article 62 (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Georgia and to initiate a draft resolution on the establishment of a fact-finding commission. In response to the legitimate questions and concerns in the community, the commission should investigate the cases of illegal wiretapping by the State Security Service and other law enforcement agencies with high degree of publicity and transparency.


[1] საქართველოს პროკურატურა (ვებ-გვერდი), https://pog.gov.ge/news/saqarTvelos-prokuraturashi-mediasashualebebis-mier-farul-chanawerebTan-dakavshirebiT-gavrcelebul-inf , 14.09.2021