GYLA Raises Alarming Concerns Over Government Surveillance of Protesters
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, March 13, 2025
The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) has raised serious concerns about the Ministry of Internal Affairs' targeted surveillance of protest participants, claiming that the government is unlawfully gathering personal information using facial recognition technology and live camera monitoring.
During a briefing, GYLA Chair Nona Kurdovanidze revealed that while reviewing a case related to road-blocking protests, the organization discovered alarming evidence of targeted surveillance. "It is unclear what legitimate purpose is served by the close-up of papers held by a protester with their back to the video camera and the monitoring for a certain period, which made it possible to read the existing text," Kurdovanidze stated.
She further explained, "This gives us grounds to assume that the camera control is being carried out mechanically by a specific person or persons."
According to GYLA, the Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to employ facial recognition cameras to monitor and identify protesters. The practice is particularly evident in cases related to road blockages, where photo evidence from these cameras is often the sole basis for identifying individuals accused of administrative offenses.
GYLA has criticized this approach, arguing that courts frequently accept such evidence without assessing whether the identification process was conducted legally or whether the officials involved had the proper access to protected databases under personal data protection laws.
"This practice is deliberately used both to intimidate citizens and to control the future behavior of protest participants," Kurdovanidze warned. "It also has a chilling effect, discouraging individuals from exercising their freedom of expression."
A particularly concerning incident cited by GYLA involves video footage from a January 2025 protest on Rustaveli Avenue, presented as evidence in the Tbilisi City Court. The footage reportedly shows a protester being followed by a camera in "live mode," with the camera zooming in on a document the individual was reading, allowing authorities to discern its contents.
"This indicates that the protester's movements and specific framing of the shots are being monitored in real-time," said Kurdovanidze. "The video recording suggests that cameras can not only identify individuals but also gather other types of information, even when that information is not legally connected to an administrative offense case."
The European Court of Human Rights has previously ruled that the use of facial recognition technology and live surveillance constitutes an interference with the right to privacy and freedom of expression. Kurdovanidze referenced the case of Glukhin v. Russia (no. 11519/20), in which the court found that such surveillance practices were incompatible with democratic principles and the rule of law.
GYLA argues that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is unlawfully collecting and processing personal data, raising serious legal and ethical questions. The organization has repeatedly called on the Personal Data Protection Service to investigate whether the government has conducted the necessary pre-assessments for data protection impact, whether data collection actions are being properly documented, and whether security measures comply with legal standards.
However, despite these calls, the status of the Personal Data Protection Service's investigation remains unclear.
"We once again call on the Personal Data Protection Service to thoroughly and promptly investigate this fact and take effective action," Kurdovanidze urged.
