They Are Still Listening Campaign urges the law enforcement authorities to launch a probe based on Eka Mishveladze’s statement
This Affects You Too – They Are Still Listening Campaign urges the law enforcement authorities to launch a probe based on Eka Mishveladze’s statement
On October 8, while being a guest of Rustavi 2 talk show Archevani, journalist Eka Mishveladze stated that she was under surveillance.
Host of public broadcaster talk show Pirveli Studia publicly confirmed reports about her and her spouse, one of the leaders of an opposition party Free Democrats, Aleksi Petriashvili being under surveillance. Few days ago it was reported that Eka Mishveladze’s talk show on public broadcaster was closed. On September 4, Advisor to the Public Broadcaster’s Director General, Basa Potskhishvili made a statement about Eka Mishveladze’s conflict of interest because of her marriage to Aleksi Petriashvili. The Public Defender has not yet officially commented on the issue.
It is especially alarming that together with a talk show host, one of the leaders of an opposition political party was allegedly also placed under surveillance.
This is not the first time allegations about secret surveillance and interception against journalists were made. In May 2014, secret video device was recovered in offices of Rustavi 2; regrettably, status of the investigation remains unknown, suggesting that investigating activities undertaken by law enforcement authorities have been ineffective.
Members of the campaign This Affects You Too – They Are Still Listening urge the law enforcement authorities to launch immediate probe based on the journalists’ public statement and if illegal surveillance and interception did in fact occur, identify perpetrators. Otherwise, the authorities will be burdened with a political responsibility for surveillance and harassment of citizens for their journalistic reporting or political activities.
Civi society has been concerned with violation of privacy of citizens, including public officials, which is why the campaign This affects You Too – They Are Still Listening was launched in 2013 to protect important civil liberties.
Even though representatives of current authorities were formerly victims of mass surveillance whine in opposition, government of the coalition Georgian Dream has not shown any political will to abandon this vicious legacy of the Soviet system. Despite active protest of civil society, law enforcement authorities keep holding on to possibilities for illegal interceptions.
As a result of advocacy work by the campaign This Affects You Too – They Are Still Listening, on August 1, 2014, the parliament adopted new regulations that significantly improved standards for safeguarding human rights in implementation of secret investigating measures. However, by the law adopted in November 2014, the parliament essentially legalized direct and unlimited access of law enforcement authorities to private communications of citizens. Notably, the president vetoed the new regulations, allowing the parliament to revisit the issue but legislators still supported the draft law favored by law enforcement authorities. Members of the campaign This Affects You Too – They Are Still Listening think that these regulations curtail constitutional rights of citizens and have filed in Constitutional Court seeking their abolishment.