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| 'Sex is not a crime' say Georgians as explicit tapes target politicians 'Sex is not a crime' say Georgians as explicit tapes target politicians | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Georgians have united to condemn the release of two tapes claiming to show prominent married politicians engaged in sexual acts. | Georgians have united to condemn the release of two tapes claiming to show prominent married politicians engaged in sexual acts. |
| President Giorgi Margvelashvili joined the public outcry and expressed solidarity with those threatened by the “dark forces” behind the videos. He told reporters on Monday that sex is not shameful, and that he himself “had, have and will have a rich sex life”. | President Giorgi Margvelashvili joined the public outcry and expressed solidarity with those threatened by the “dark forces” behind the videos. He told reporters on Monday that sex is not shameful, and that he himself “had, have and will have a rich sex life”. |
| The latest footage posted on YouTube claimed to show a series of sexual encounters featuring prominent opposition and ruling party politicians, and came accompanied by an anonymous post threatening the release of more compromising videos. | The latest footage posted on YouTube claimed to show a series of sexual encounters featuring prominent opposition and ruling party politicians, and came accompanied by an anonymous post threatening the release of more compromising videos. |
| So far the public has supported the two female politicians at the heart of the scandal, instead criticising the authorities, government and media outlets who failed to protect their identities. | So far the public has supported the two female politicians at the heart of the scandal, instead criticising the authorities, government and media outlets who failed to protect their identities. |
| Despite being a largely conservative country, activists gathered in front of the government headquarters in Tbilisi on Monday to demand that officials put an end to the video leaks, carrying slogans reading “Sex is not a crime!” | Despite being a largely conservative country, activists gathered in front of the government headquarters in Tbilisi on Monday to demand that officials put an end to the video leaks, carrying slogans reading “Sex is not a crime!” |
| Civil rights groups have also called on the authorities to seek out and prosecute those who filmed, stored and leaked the recordings. | Civil rights groups have also called on the authorities to seek out and prosecute those who filmed, stored and leaked the recordings. |
| “This is wanton blackmail of not only the individuals in these videos, but an attempt to keep society at large under psychological pressure and terror, which is a direct blow to the free and fair election environment,” said Ana Natsvlishvili, director of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. | “This is wanton blackmail of not only the individuals in these videos, but an attempt to keep society at large under psychological pressure and terror, which is a direct blow to the free and fair election environment,” said Ana Natsvlishvili, director of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. |
| To combat the smear campaign, local civil society groups and media organisations are staying silent about the identities of those said to be featured in the videos. | To combat the smear campaign, local civil society groups and media organisations are staying silent about the identities of those said to be featured in the videos. |
| I have a wonderful lover, I have sex and plan to continue to live like I live | I have a wonderful lover, I have sex and plan to continue to live like I live |
| “Publication of the recordings is in the interests of those whom the country’s stability does not suit,” the parliamentary defence and security chair, Irakli Sesiashvili, told Interpressnews, which was widely condemned for publishing information about one of the recordings, including a title that made it possible to identify the person in it. | “Publication of the recordings is in the interests of those whom the country’s stability does not suit,” the parliamentary defence and security chair, Irakli Sesiashvili, told Interpressnews, which was widely condemned for publishing information about one of the recordings, including a title that made it possible to identify the person in it. |
| Familiar tactic | Familiar tactic |
| Secretly recording the private lives of prominent figures in order to blackmail them is seen as a KGB-style practice left over from the days of the Soviet Union. | Secretly recording the private lives of prominent figures in order to blackmail them is seen as a KGB-style practice left over from the days of the Soviet Union. |
| In neighbouring Azerbaijan, a leaked video targeted investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova after she reported stories that raised questions about the presidential family’s business dealings. | In neighbouring Azerbaijan, a leaked video targeted investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova after she reported stories that raised questions about the presidential family’s business dealings. |
| In Georgia, the scandal is the latest in a long line of releases. Last year the director of Georgia’s largest TV channel, seen to be allied with the opposition, said he had been threatened with the release of compromising videos if he did not step down. | In Georgia, the scandal is the latest in a long line of releases. Last year the director of Georgia’s largest TV channel, seen to be allied with the opposition, said he had been threatened with the release of compromising videos if he did not step down. |
| More recently, the outspoken national TV talk show host Inga Grigolia said she has also been threatened, but says she won’t be silenced by such intimidation. | More recently, the outspoken national TV talk show host Inga Grigolia said she has also been threatened, but says she won’t be silenced by such intimidation. |
| “I have a wonderful lover, I have sex and plan to continue to live like I live,” Grigolia announced on television. “I will do everything to make sure that you who have filmed and released these videos spend your life in prison.” | “I have a wonderful lover, I have sex and plan to continue to live like I live,” Grigolia announced on television. “I will do everything to make sure that you who have filmed and released these videos spend your life in prison.” |
| The use of compromising footage is unlikely to stop as the season of political campaigning gets under way ahead of Georgia’s parliamentary election later this year. | The use of compromising footage is unlikely to stop as the season of political campaigning gets under way ahead of Georgia’s parliamentary election later this year. |
| The protesters say the government’s failure to investigate and prosecute previous cases involving illicit videos and blackmail has allowed the practice to continue. | The protesters say the government’s failure to investigate and prosecute previous cases involving illicit videos and blackmail has allowed the practice to continue. |
| Under pressure from civil society groups, in 2013 the government publicly destroyed 181 hours of footage of the private lives of opposition figures. However, videos keep on surfacing. | Under pressure from civil society groups, in 2013 the government publicly destroyed 181 hours of footage of the private lives of opposition figures. However, videos keep on surfacing. |
| A version of this article first appeared on Eurasianet.org | A version of this article first appeared on Eurasianet.org |
| • This article was amended on 11 November 2016. An earlier version said Interpressnews had published a link to one of the recordings. It did not publish a link but published information that made it possible to identify the person in it; Interpressnews said this was a mistake and apologised. | • This article was amended on 11 November 2016. An earlier version said Interpressnews had published a link to one of the recordings. It did not publish a link but published information that made it possible to identify the person in it; Interpressnews said this was a mistake and apologised. |