State Security Service Says it Probes into Leaked Saakashvili Wiretapped Recordings
The Georgian State Security Service said that it is looking into leaked wiretapped recordings of ex-President and governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region Mikheil Saakashvili’s conversation with Rustavi 2 TV head Nika Gvaramia and one of the leaders of the UNM opposition party Giga Bokeria as part of the ongoing investigation into alleged “conspiracy to overthrow” the government, which was launched on October 24.
The announcement comes after wiretapped recordings of two phone conversations emerged on October 29 in which Saakashvili, discusses “defending” Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 TV through erecting barricades, calls for “going through revolutionary scenario” and speaks about the need for “physical confrontation” during which “faces should be smashed”.
Deputy head of the State Security Service, Levan Izoria, said on October 30 that based on “operative-investigative activities and information reported in media outlets”, the State Security Service opened investigation under first part of article 315 of the criminal code involving “conspiracy to overthrow” the government on October 24.
“As part of this investigation, in cooperation with the Interior Ministry, the State Security Service has already carried out number of security measures for preventing possible crime,” Izoria said, apparently referring to installing surveillance cameras in the areas adjacent to Rustavi 2 TV headquarters in Tbilisi.
“As part of the ongoing investigation, origins and authenticity of the recordings distributed by the media outlets [on October 29] will be determined; all the necessary investigative activities will be carried out and all the relevant persons will be interrogated for the purpose of verifying information in the recordings as well as the information that was made available through the operative-investigative activities,” Izoria said.
UNM opposition party said on October 30 that it’s foreign secretary Giga Bokeria has been summoned by investigators for questioning. He has once already been questioned after the State Security Service opened alleged coup plot investigation on October 24.
“The State Security Service has already appealed relevant agencies of Ukraine for legal assistance for the purpose of obtaining relevant information,” Izoria said without taking questions from journalists and added that the State Security Service would inform the public about the ongoing proceedings later.