This Affects You – Protest Rally against Illegal Surveillance

Kristine Pakhomov 

On March 19, This Affects You, the campaign initiated by the Georgian civil society organizations, held protest rally in Tbilisi. The organizers and participants protested dissemination of video-rolls on personal life. 

“We do not care about others’ personal lives; but we care that other people are threatened and blackmailed with our reaction,” you could see banners and t-shirts with this slogan everywhere during the demonstration. The participants requested making the law more drastic and punishment of perpetrators.

NGOs united in the Campaign This Affects You and civil activists participated in the rally. The Trade Union of Georgia also joined the demonstration. The protest manifestation started at the Tbilisi Concert Hall and finished in front of the State Chancellery. Many citizens joined the protesters on their way to the destination. 

Members of Human Rights Center actively participated in the protest rally. “Today we will remind the authority to amend the law so that the society was protected from illegal dissemination of videos on people’s personal life and from blackmailing. Until the government takes relevant steps, we will always witness similar injustice in the country – secret videos of people’s personal lives will be aired and those ministries, which have direct access to the keys, will be perceived as main suspects in this illegality. At the same time, we would like to remind every citizen of the country that this problem affects everybody regardless the fact whose personal life is targeted at the moment,” executive director of the Center Aleko Tskitishvili said.

“We are affected because we may also be secretly watched and also because certain group dare to threaten people. We say NO to secret surveillance!” said Eka Gigauri, executive director of the Transparency International Georgia. 

“Our rights cannot be breached. Personal life is inviolable and the state shall ensure it. Our protest refers to everybody who tries to manipulate us. They try to blackmail the state and society. It all affects us and we must say NO to illegal surveillance,” executive director of CIDA Zviad Devdariani said.

In parallel to the Tbilisi demonstration, the protest rallies of the Campaign This Affects You were organized in Gori, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Batumi.