Transparency International Georgia is responding to a threatening message sent privately to its Executive Director.

On October 13, our Executive Director received a threatening message from a specific individual. The message included derogatory language, as well as threats of physical retaliation. Notably, the author of the messaged employed the same terminology that the Chairperson of the Parliament had recently used against non-governmental organizations, such as referring to them as ‘accomplices to fascism’.

Threatening and insulting private messages intensified after high-level government officials, including the Chairperson of the Parliament and a number of MPs, began an aggressive campaign against the non-governmental organizations last week.

This campaign also includes the attempts to smear the reputation of our organization’s Executive Director and leaders of civil society organizations. The smear campaign and verbal attacks against the non-governmental organizations seems to be well-organized.

We have observed similar attempts to discredit the civil society sector in the past and it occurs mostly when criticism is voiced against the government.

Naturally, any form of criticism is allowed in a democratic society, however, there should be an immediate response when such criticism includes threats.

The Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia has officially addressed the Chief Prosecutor’s Office and requested the investigation to be started in regard to the threats made in her address. We hope that this case will be thoroughly investigated, otherwise, full responsibility will rest with the government. It is important that every staff member of our and other non-governmental organizations feels secure in carrying out their duties.