Malkhaz Machalikashvili applied to the Personal Data Protection Inspector with regard to surveillance fact

Reginfo.ge

Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), which defends interests of Malkhaz Machalikashvili, the father of 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili, who was killed during the special operation in Pankisi Gorge, appealed the Personal Data Protection Inspector over the alleged surveillance against Malkhaz Machalikashvili.

Malkhaz Machalikashvili and his family members have been participating in the protest demonstrations in Tbilisi, which started on May 31, 2018 in front of the Parliament of Georgia; the demonstrators protested ineffective investigation into Khorava Street murder. 

Malkhaz Machalikashvili and others also protested the miscarriages in the ongoing investigation into Temirlan Machalikashvili’s murder case.

According to the EMC, during the demonstrations Malkhaz Machalikashvili and his family members were subjects of permanent surveillance and control from the side of the State Security Service officers as they were chased by cars. On June 2, 2018, when Malkhaz Machalikashvili travelled from Akhmeta to Tbilisi by taxi, he was under visual control and certain people tried to get information about his identity.

As Malkhaz Machalikashvili is clarifying, the taxi driver was several times called on the mobile phone and afterwards he told Machalikashvili that police officers were calling him according to the instructions of the State Security Service and were curious to find out who his passenger was. At the same time, a car was following them, which controlled the movement of the taxi. 

EMC believes this fact violated the right to privacy of Malkhaz Machalikashvili. In this regard, EMC appealed the Personal Data Protection Inspector to study the legality of personal data processing by the SSS and the MIA over Malkhaz Machalikashvili, including the June 2, 2018 incident and pass relevant decision.