Georgian rights defenders demand to check information about wiretapping of activists

The "Mtavari Arkhi" TV Channel has reported that the State Security Service (SSS) was wiretapping politicians and activists, after which human rights defenders demanded from the Prosecutor's Office to conduct an investigation. The Georgian Parliament should take the work of special services under its control, the Georgian NGOs have demanded.

According to the above TV channel, the SSS has gathered records of personal conversations, including about intimate life. They were wiretapping politicians from the ruling "Georgian Dream" Party, oppositionists, journalists, priests, businessmen and activists. In particular, it is reported about the non-traditional sexual orientation of a priest and a female member of an oppositional party.

A total of 18 NGOs have indicated that the information that Georgian special services were wiretapping public figures has confirmed the suspicions about the secret shadowing that exist in the society.

Amid a fragile democracy and a severe political crisis, special services are spending funds to monitor politicians and activists, human rights defenders have stated. They have also noted that the absence of external control gives secret services "an opportunity to shadow people in any area of life with impunity."

Earlier, there was a suspicion of illegal wiretapping, but now the scale of what is happening has become known. Besides, they are showing interest in people's intimate life, said Guram Imnadze, an activist of the "Centre for Social Justice".