Georgian Authorities Raid Homes of Disinformation Researchers Ahead of Elections (therecord.media)
- Reference: 0175318905
- News link: https://politics.slashdot.org/story/24/10/24/2024241/georgian-authorities-raid-homes-of-disinformation-researchers-ahead-of-elections
- Source link: https://therecord.media/georgian-authorities-raid-homes-disinformation-researchers-election
> Eto Buziashvili and Sopo Gelava, both employees of the Atlantic Council think tank, had their homes searched and their own and their family members' personal devices seized by investigators working for the country's Ministry of Finance, according to friends of the pair who spoke to Recorded Future News. Both women are said to be safe, although there are concerns about the security of their devices and online accounts. The searches come a day after Buziashvili published [2]an article detailing how the Kremlin was influencing Georgian politics by supporting the incumbent government and interfering in the upcoming elections.
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> Local media reported that the offices of outsourcing company Concentrix and other Georgian citizens were also subject to searches. The Ministry of Finance [3]claimed on Facebook it launched searches of "specific facilities" related to "call centers" alleged to be engaged in illegal activity. The investigations come ahead of an election that is being seen as a bellwether of the country's future direction, either pursuing closer ties to Russia under the current prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze or moving towards the West through opposition figures.
Graham Brookie, the Atlantic Council's vice president for technology programs and strategy, said the organization "is deeply concerned about this development and its impact on our staff's work shortly before Georgian elections. [Gelava and Buziashvili] are engaged in independent, non-partisan work aimed at defending and strengthening democracy from those who would undermine it in online spaces, including research related to foreign influence efforts, the targeting of marginalized communities, and other online harms."
"We trust that Georgian authorities will provide more clarity on their actions, ensure the safety and security of our staff, return their property, and allow them to continue their contributions to Georgian democracy."
[1] https://therecord.media/georgian-authorities-raid-homes-disinformation-researchers-election
[2] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/russia-is-directly-and-indirectly-meddling-in-georgias-upcoming-election/
[3] https://www.facebook.com/sagamodziebo/posts/pfbid0t8HUoSe5jgAHQuzmTWc6jhfW6zvr61ALUUSVtBG6pge7HDmb5Xq78mHkbzhhB1Wel
This is coming for America (Score:2, Insightful)
depending on how the election goes. When you've got a candidate calling for concentration camps and saying he'll be a dictator day one then if you let him win you can't say you weren't told.
The Russian economy is in free fall for anyone but the top 10%. Maybe that'll be you. Personally I wouldn't roll a set of dice with a 90% chance of failure, but that's me.
Meanwhile just a friendly reminder that the Nazis were elected. And they were all about free speech right up until they were in charge.
There's a real it can't happen here vibe (Score:3)
Going on with this election. Donald Trump is done half a dozen things that are beat for beat tactics The Nazis used when they were rising to power.
But hell forget that The guy stole classified documents while communicating with a hostile foreign dictator. Just the fact that that didn't sink his campaign... I can't even. Can you imagine a shit storm if Hillary Clinton got caught doing that? Even today?
Re: (Score:3)
Trump has threatened that if he wins he will go after certain reporters that anger him, and remove some TV licenses. The fact that he is not doing this now implies strongly that he intends to use government power to go after his enemies. Yes, this is a very bad thing, the same thing happening in Humgary (the darling country of delusional ex-Fox employees who think that quashing free speech should be the American Way).
Trump is especially angered by reporters who don't reveal their sources who he threatened
Americans wondering how Kremlin in Georgia .. (Score:1)
.. ;)
Re: (Score:3)
Given the way Republicans carry on these days we could be forgiven for thinking this happened in the state of Georgia. It's totally believable, sadly.
Evidence? (Score:2)
A CIA front? You're not the only Anonymous Coward to claim this. Care to share some evidence? Because I can't find any.
Real time fascism in America (Score:3)
This is how fascism attacks democracy, happening in real time in the US right now.
It's one example of a nationally organized plan to intimidate individuals and interfere with organizations that are opposed to Trump's fascist Republican Party. In Texas the fascist Republican Attorney General Paxton raided Latino grass roots organizations doing get out the vote efforts.
In Florida the AG hired external lawyers to write cease and desist letters to news outlets showing advertisements for an [1]abortion rights state constitutional amendment: [tallahassee.com]
> For Mark Walker, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Northern Florida, that’s a clear violation of the stations’ and Floridians Protecting Freedom’s First Amendment rights: “To keep it simple for the State of Florida: It’s the First Amendment, stupid,” Walker wrote.
This is just the first stage. There will be both US state and federal level attempts through the legal system to interfere with the election by Trump supporters. Before election day there will also be voter intimidation and outright violence. It's all part of the fascist playbook.
No matter who wins, there will be significant violence between now and the inauguration. It's obvious that Trump will call for violence if he loses. He knows he will end up in jail, so he will whip his followers into a frenzy to try to take over the government. Even if he wins his most fanatic loyalists will start lashing out after he wins, because why would they wait? They have lots of guns and lots of people they want to eliminate.
I expect this to be modded down to -1,000,000 for obvious reasons. Fascists react badly to be called out.
[1] https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2024/10/18/federal-judge-blocks-florida-gov-desantis-threats-over-abortion-ad/75732482007/
Georgia? Atlantic Council? (Score:3)
I think the Georgia in question is next to the Caspian Sea, not anywhere near the Atlantic.
(This is not the US State of Georgia, nor the Island of South Georgia)
Re: (Score:1, Troll)
Certainly, but just like the Kremlin, the "Atlantic Council" is a foreign organization from a far away country that likes to interfere with the politics of other countries... and both pretend they are the "goodies", who only want the best for Georgians, while the others are the evil ones. It would probably be asked to much from Journalists these days to rather poll a variety of inhabitants of Georgia on their opinion on the matter, rather than just recite other country's propagandists.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
It would probably be asked to much from Journalists these days to rather poll a variety of inhabitants of Georgia on their opinion on the matter, rather than just recite other country's propagandists.
Sure thing, Vadim. Your english skills have given you away once again.
I'm sure you'll remember when Russia attacked Georgia and now occupies part of that country. The "people" didn't want anything of the sort in the same way none of the "people" of Ukraine "voted" for any seccession or "saving" by Russia. L
Re: (Score:2)
Liberals and conservatives both hate Russia. Only MAGA likes Russia, because they believe in every holy word from Trump who likes Putin.
Liberals and conservatives both hate Russia because of Putin. Under Putin's leadership Russia has invaded to soveriegn nations merely because those countries are looking westward for friends who are sane, rather than looking to the brutalist Moscow. Putin wants his puppet regimes, and he was totally pissed off and wetting himself when there were the color revolutions that
Re:Georgia? Atlantic Council? (Score:5, Informative)
> both pretend they are the "goodies",
You can't equate the influence of the "Atlantic council" (an organization that hires 197 people) and the Kremlin, a large murderous organization who has started a land invasion of Georgia, illegally invading two regions: Abkhasia and South Ossetia.
> to rather poll a variety of inhabitants of Georgia on their opinion on the matter,
Georgians are pro-West, and have been opposed to the "foreign agent" law copied from Russia. Georgians have been protesting continuously for the past years in protests that have been called "Massive" in March 2023 and May-June 2024 [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org] for example 50,000 protesters [2]https://edition.cnn.com/2024/0... [cnn.com] Georgian protesters have been harbouring flags of the EU, of Ukraine, and of NATO alongside flags of Georgia. You can see them in today's still painting flags of Western symbols on the walls of their cities [3]https://www.irishtimes.com/wor... [irishtimes.com]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023%E2%80%932024_Georgian_protests
[2] https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/11/europe/georgia-foreign-agents-bill-protests-intl-latam/index.html
[3] https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2024/10/24/georgias-high-stakes-election-clouded-by-fears-of-foul-play-and-street-protests/
Re: (Score:2)
> Georgians are pro-West, and have been opposed to the "foreign agent" law copied from Russia.
And so they certainly elected a government in 2020 that represents this opinion, right? The OECD at least said, those were free and fair elections. So the "authorities" now raiding homes do this on behalf of the people who elected them into power. For example, because they need to protect Georgia from foreign agents, such as the ones from Russia...?
I am far from liking any of the bully regimes that try to expand their area of influence by either buying corrupt politicians or by military violence, but I ge
Re: Georgia? Atlantic Council? (Score:1)
The White House is in the exact same league as the Kremlin in the large murderous (â¦) department
Re: (Score:2)
> I think the Georgia in question is next to the Caspian Sea, not anywhere near the Atlantic.
> (This is not the US State of Georgia, nor the Island of South Georgia)
From the Atlantic Council's [1]own page [atlanticcouncil.org]:
> Within a few years of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949, voluntary organizations emerged in the member countries of the Alliance to promote public understanding and support for the policies and institutions that would build collective security and peace. This international network of citizens’ associations was bound together formally in 1954 with the creation of the Atlantic Treaty Association.
> In 1961, former Secretaries of State Dean Acheson and Christian Herter, with Will Clayton, William Foster, Theodore Achilles and other distinguished Americans, recommended the consolidation of the U.S. citizens groups supporting the Atlantic Alliance into the Atlantic Council of the United States.
> . . .
> Since its inception, the Council has administered programs to examine political and economic as well as security issues, and to cover Asia, the Americas and other regions in addition to Europe. All its programs are, however, based on the conviction that a healthy transatlantic relationship is fundamental to progress in organizing a strong international system.
[1] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/history/
Re: (Score:2)
> All its programs are, however, based on the conviction that a healthy transatlantic relationship is fundamental to progress in organizing a strong international system.
Which is to say they are interested in Georgia having a "healthy transatlantic relationship" despite being nowhere near the Atlantic. Presumably they are not talking about Canada.
Re: (Score:2)
I cannot find any evidence that the Atlantic Council has anything to do with the CIA. Care to share some?
Re: Georgia? Atlantic Council? (Score:2)
Russia Georgia. Not The Devil Went Down to Georgia.