EU: new amendments, adopted on 7 June by the Georgian Parliament, significantly reduce Georgian citizens’ right to privacy

New amendments adopted on 7 June by the Georgian Parliament significantly reduce Georgian citizens’ right to privacy, EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has said. 

The amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia increase the scope of crimes allowing for covert investigative actions and the duration of these actions.

“While amending the Criminal Procedure Code may be legitimate on security grounds, we note with concern that the current amendments significantly reduce Georgian citizens’ right to privacy, without providing sufficient safeguards against unjustified intrusion into their private lives and the protection of their personal data,” said Hartzell. 

He reminded that the EU had expressed these concerns to the Georgian Parliament prior to the adoption of these amendments, suggesting that the new legislation be sent to the Venice Commission before finalisation, to assess its compliance with European standards and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. 

Hartzell added the EU regretted that the Georgian Parliament had decided to proceed with the adoption of this legislation without such consultation and called on the Parliament to immediately ask the Venice Commission for an Opinion on this piece of legislation and to follow its recommendations.

 “We urge the Georgian Government to uphold its commitments to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of Georgian citizens, as well as to ensure adequate and effective safeguards against their potential abuse,” said Hartzell.

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