Big brother is playing a critical role in the Georgian government’s efforts to throttle all forms of dissent in Tbilisi, a leading rights watchdog group asserts.
Demonstrators have stagednightly protests in central Tbilisi for almost four months to condemn the Georgian Dream government’s embrace ofauthoritarian practices and its decision to halt the constitutionally mandated European Union accession process.
Authorities initially resorted to the use ofexcessive force in an attempt to crush the protest movement. But when tear gas and truncheons proved ineffective in deterring demonstrations, authorities turned to hitting protesters in their wallets, imposing disproportionately heavy fines for technicalities, including the unauthorized blocking of roads. The total amount of fineslevied on protesters since November has surpassed $700,000. The maximum fine can reach almost $2,000. The average monthly salary in Georgia is roughly$799, according to the state statistical agency Geostat.
Facial recognition technology is being used and abused by law enforcement authorities to identify and punish anti-government protesters, according to documentation compiled by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. The security cameras are mounted on building facades and lampposts all around the center of the city.
“Photos obtained from facial recognition cameras often serve as the only evidence, which, in most cases, is considered sufficient proof for the court to declare a person an offender, without assessing the relevant context,” GYLA said in a statement issued March 17. “The court usually does not assess whether the identification of an individual was lawful or whether the person who performed the identification had the proper access to protected databases, in accordance with personal data protection legislation.”
GYLA also maintains that officials are using security cameras to conduct “targeted surveillance/monitoring of specific individuals” in violation of international human rights law. “The European Court of Human Rights has assessed the analogue practice of using facial recognition technologies and live surveillance as an interference with the freedom of expression and right to private life,” the GYLA statement asserted.
The crackdown on dissent extends far beyond the streets, even reaching into the corridors of power. GYLA has documented thesummary dismissals of dozens of staff members at the Defense Ministry who are suspected of disloyalty to the ruling party.
In addition, authorities appear intent on locking up one of the country’s most prominent independent journalists, Mzia Amaglobeli, for up to seven years on anassault charge that government critics contend is politically motivated. Authorities have kept Amaglobeli in pre-trial detention for over two months so far, rejecting various petitions for her release on bail. Her defense lawyerscontend that the government lacks sufficient evidence to secure a conviction “with a high degree of probability,” citing the results of 20 previous cases involving assault charges similar to those faced by Amaglobeli. The next hearing in her case is scheduled for March 31.
Amaglobeli’s prosecution is attracting international attention. TheClooneyFoundation forJustice (CFJ) – an initiative founded by the American actor George Clooney and his wife Amal, a prominent international human rights lawyer – announced that itsTrial Watch research team will monitor the proceedings and produce a report that grades “the case against international and regional fair trial standards,” according to a statement issued by the foundation.
CFJ’s activities include monitoring suspected politically motivated prosecutions, providing “legal support to get innocent people out of prison,” and advocating for judicial reform. The foundation works in over 40 countries, including Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.