CANVAS Georgia Assesses State Security Service's Accusations as 'Pressure' and Appeals to International Organizations
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
CANVAS Georgia responded to the statement from the State Security Service of Georgia, which reads that the organization has observed pressure on the director of the organization and on activists associated with it.
In their statement, Canvas-Georgia is urging international human rights organizations and individuals who are supportive of democracy and human rights protection in Georgia to prioritize this issue when they engage with various private and public institutions operating within Georgia. The organization believes that such support will be of significant assistance to activists who are dedicated to enhancing democracy in Georgia.
According to the organization, threats against the director of Canvas-Georgia, Giorgi Meladze, began even after the March protests. The campaign of threats continued on September 18 when the State Security Service announced that the organization was allegedly involved in an organized conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the current government.
"Ten days after the statement was published, on September 29, the State Security Service summoned Slobodan Dinovic and Sinisa Sikman, members of 'Canvas' who had arrived in Tbilisi, as well as Jelena Tancic, an employee of 'Canvas's' Belgrade office, for interrogation. After the interrogation, they left Georgia within a few hours without providing an official comment because the investigation was classified as a state secret, and participants were obliged to not disclose any information.
Canvas-Georgia assesses the mentioned cases as pressure on the head of the organization, on the activists who collaborate with the organization, receive education, and disseminate knowledge about strategic nonviolent campaigns."
"We call on international human rights organizations, supporters interested in the protection of democracy and human rights in Georgia, to pay attention to the mentioned fact and to consider this topic as one of the priorities when interacting with relevant private and public structures and institutions operating in Georgia. We believe that such support will significantly help activists interested in strengthening democracy in Georgia," the statement reads.
