Ombudswoman on alleged leak of clerics’ personal data: illegal surveillance likely to continue

Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria says that it is likely that the illegal surveillance and collection of personal data are also being carried out under the Georgian Dream (GD) leadership. 

 

By the statement she has responded to the alleged leak of personal data on clerics earlier today. 

 

“There is a high possibility that illegal surveillance and collecting of personal data still happens. There are facts that state agencies not only collect the information, but also use it to prosecute or suppress individuals,” Lomjaria said. 

 

The opposition-minded TV Pirveli channel has stated that it is studying “thousands of files’ leaked from the country’s State Security Service. 

 

The channel said that the state agency allegedly eavesdropped Archbishop Nikoloz Pashuashvili ‘who had received 30,000 USD from a Russian citizen for information on Tbilisi-based, US-built Lugar Lab.’  

 

Lomjaria said that ‘illegal surveillance ‘for elections and anytime must be suspended.’ 

 

GD MP Gia Volski has stated  that it was the UNM which was collecting the personal data of thousands of people to blackmail them and that ‘part of the data has been taken out of the state’ (by the UNM).