Shortly before the elections, the homes of two members of the Atlantic Council were searched in Georgia

The homes of two members of the Atlantic Council in the capital of Georgia, Sopo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili, were searched, but they were neither arrested nor charged by the local authorities.

The Atlantic Council has reacted with concern to this incident shortly before the elections in Georgia and has asked the Georgian authorities for security for its staff there.

Graham Brookie, Vice President for Technology Programs and Strategy at the Atlantic Council and Executive Director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), issued a statement clarifying the case.

“On the morning of October 24, officials from the Investigative Service of the Georgian Ministry of Finance searched the homes of two employees of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Laboratory in Tbilisi, Georgia, and confiscated their electronic devices,” he said. “They were neither arrested nor charged by the Georgian authorities,” he announced.

He added that the Atlantic Council was deeply concerned about this development and its impact on the work of its staff just before the elections in Georgia.

“Our Georgian colleagues Sopo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili are engaged in independent, non-partisan work aimed at protecting and strengthening democracy from those who would undermine it online, including researching alien influence operations, targeting marginalized communities and other online harms.”

Brookie said he believes Georgia authorities will provide greater clarity about their actions, “ensure the safety of our employees, return their property and allow them to continue their contributions to Georgia’s democracy.”

“The Atlantic Council has long been an advocate of a democratic and independent Georgia and its aspirations to join the institutions of the transatlantic community. The Digital Forensic Research Lab publishes research that emphasizes the importance of objective discourse and information as the foundation of free, open, and democratic countries.”

Brookie said the Atlantic Council will continue its work in Georgia in the spirit of its mission to shape the global future with partners and allies.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he concluded.

On October 26, elections will be held in Georgia, which are considered decisive for the future of the country. Voters will choose between a pro-Western opposition and the anti-Western, pro-Kremlin ruling party “Georgian Dream”.

The latter has tried to intervene by influencing political parties, disinformation and other forms to distance Georgia from the West by supporting the Georgian Dream party. /The Geopost/