The Campaign This Affects You Responds to the Dissemination of the Audio-Records of Alleged Phone Conversation between Mikheil Saakashvili and UNM

The Campaign This Affects You responds to the dissemination of the audio records of the alleged phone conversation between ex-president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and the members of the United National Movement. 

The Campaign member NGOs are concerned with the fact that the election campaign undergoes in parallel to illegal surveillance/ear dropping and systemic dissemination of the records. The content of secret records is also disturbing. It contains information about the crime and creates basis for the Prosecutor’s Office to start investigation under the article 100 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. According to the spread information, the State Security Service has already started investigation in relation with the secret recordings. It is crucial, that the investigation is transparent, coherent to the requirements of the Georgian legislation, and identified authenticity of the records in order to avoid perception of the attempted misuse of state institutions as political weapon. 

It is important that the state rapidly and effectively investigated the alleged illegal obtain and dissemination of the information to support democratic development of the country, ensure peaceful and fair pre-election environment and respect of human rights. 

We call on the government to make concrete steps against illegal secret surveillance and effectively investigate every crime related with illegal ear dropping. We also call on the State Security Agency to use the authority in accordance to the law and take relevant steps to ensure security in the country, which will support peaceful election environment.