Signatures Collected against Illegal Surveillance in Gori

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

On March 19, peaceful demonstration in the frame of the Campaign “This Affects You – We Are Still Listened To” was organized in Gori like many other cities of Georgia. Participants marched around the city and collected signatures. 

Campaign organizers will hand collected signatures to single-seat MPs from their districts and submit legislative initiative to introduce amendments about regulation of mass surveillance to the Criminal Procedural Code. 

Chairperson of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association’s Gori office Keti Bebiashvili said the collection of signatures will last till the end of the week. Next week, they will hand collected signatures to the Gori district single seat MP Soso Vakhtangishvili.

Keti Bebiashvili: “Campaign This Affects You – We Are Listened To” campaigns in all big cities throughout Georgia. Our main purpose is to raise public awareness about the issue and possible threats from it. We appeal to single seat MPs in every district and request them to support amendments to the Criminal Procedural Code, which will regulate secret surveillance so that right to private life was protected.”

Representatives of NGOs and civil society say if the parliament considers the initiative and amends the law, secret surveillance will be regulated and private lives of citizens will be protected.

Gvantsa Grdzelishvili, action participator: “We collect signatures requesting amendments to the law. Population supports our initiative; they are interested in it and sign our petition.”

Representatives of regional offices of the GYLA, Human Rights Center, media organizations and ordinary citizens took part in the campaign. 

Similar actions will take place in all big cities of the country in the frame of the campaign “This Affects You – We Are Still Listened To”.