Updated on: October 30, 2024
Eto Buziashvili and Sopo Gelava had their homes raided by Georgian law enforcement after they voiced suspicions of Russia spreading disinformation through the country.
The two were members of the Atlantic Council, an American think tank that primarily focuses on international affairs in the Atlantic. The Council has a long history of exposing Russian disinformation campaigns.
The Ministry of Finance claims that it also launched searches of “special facilities” that are related to call centers under investigation for illegal activity.
The search comes only one day after Buziashvili published an article for the Atlantic Think Tank, explaining that the Russian Kremlin was manipulating democracy in Georgia by influencing its election and supporting the incumbent leader.
“Russia’s influence and interference in Georgia isn’t new;” her article reads.
“It’s longstanding and multifaceted, involving hybrid operations, direct military intervention in August 2008, and the ongoing occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. But for many years, Moscow relied on marginal, openly pro-Russian political actors in Georgia to undermine the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”
The searches also come during waves of country-wide protests over government injustices against the people of Georgia. This includes police brutality and legislation requiring non-government organizations to register as foreign entities.
Many in Georgia believe that this election may pave the future for Georgia’s political landscape. Both women are currently safe. During the raid, they had their online devices confiscated from them but were not hurt or charged with any crimes. Many believe that their security is in jeopardy.
“They mentioned that they are interested in my organization, which is the Atlantic Council, an American nongovernmental organization. We are investigating Russian information operations in detail,” Buziashvili tells Formula, a Georgia news company.
Neither the Embassy of Georgia in London nor the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia has yet to give responses to various news organizations that have reached out to them.