On December 25th, the Georgian government revealed its plans to abolish the State Inspector’s Office and create two new supplementary agencies. The State Inspector herself responded to the information, noting that she had found out about the “conspiratorially” initiated change regarding the abolition of her service from the media. She further noted that the change cannot be perceived as a reform but an action against an independent institution and the staff of the agency. Non-governmental organizations operating in Georgia have also criticized the government’s decision, calling it a deliberate, planned attack and retaliation against the independent agency, and called on the authorities to stop deliberate attacks on independent institutions and allow the inspector to fully implement her mandate. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also called on the authorities to withdraw the initiative, while the US Ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, stressed that the process was hasty and disturbing. The chairman of the Council of Europe Commission on Human Rights, Dunia Miatovich, called on the Georgian parliament to refrain from the rapid adoption of the bill, stressing that if passed, the bill, which abolishes the Office of the State Inspector, would weaken the functioning of national human rights mechanisms in Georgia.
In parallel, various discrediting statements directed against the State Inspector’s Office and, in particular, Londa Toloraia appeared both on traditional and social media. Apart from government officials and government experts, pro-governmental and anti-opposition Facebook pages, as well as anti-Western and anti-Kremlin actors, became involved in the discreditation campaign against the State Inspector. A number of fake accounts started targeting not only Londa Toloraia but also President Salome Zurabishvili, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria, and the ambassadors of the United States and Germany.
During the discreditation campaign, 5 common messages have been identified:
- Londa Toloraia illegally obtained the bill;
- The Inspector’s Office is an inefficient, anti-state institution;
- Inspector’s Office is managed from the West /The West interferes in our internal affairs;
- The Inspector’s Office pursues the interests of the UNM/Londa Toloraia Adeishvili’s cadre;
- Londa Toloraia is a staff member of the former Prime Minister, Giorgi Gakharia, and is pursuing his interests.
- Londa Toloraia illegally obtained the bill
While the leadership of the State Inspector’s Office criticized the parliament for conspiring to expedite legislative initiative without the involvement and consultation of the agency, the state media asserted that the way Inspector’s Office’s acquired the bill was suspicious.
On December 27th, the news agency POSTV accused Londa Toloraia of “illegally obtaining” the bill and published an article entitled “Londa Toloraia does not answer the question of who handed her the bill, which is currently only accessible for members of the Parliamentary Bureau.” Based on POSTV’s article, identical information with an identical headline was disseminated on the same day by other news agencies with pro-governmental editorial policies. These are: imedinews.ge, kvira.ge, lid.ge, reportiori.ge,digest.pia.ge. In addition to news agencies, Gia Abashidze and Andria Gvidiani, pro-governmental experts have been accusing Toloraia of “illegally obtaining” the bill, to which only members of the bureau should have had access to.
- The Inspector’s Office is an inefficient, anti-state institution;
Both Sozar Subari, an MP from the incumbent Georgian Dream party, and the editor-in-chief of the pro-Kremlin outlet Saqinform, questioned the importance and effectiveness of the state inspector as an institution. Subari called the institute ugly and ineffective, while Arno Khidirbegishvili labelled it as anti-state.
|
Sozar Subari, Georgian Dream MP |
“The past two years have demonstrated the inefficiency of the State Inspector’s Office. The State Inspector’s Office, and I will not mince my words, was an ugly system from the start. |
|
Arno Khidirbegishvili, Editor-in-chief of Saqinform |
“…State Inspector of Personal Data Protection, Londa Toloraia, same as the Public Ombudsman Nino Lomjaria, with their institutions, represent the main anti-state and subversive institutions in Georgia!” |
- Inspector’s Office is managed from the West /The West interferes in our internal affairs;
Pro-Kremlin actors, including Nikoloz Mzhavanadze and Beka Vardosanidze, who are affiliated with the violent platform Alt-Info, as well as Arno Khidirbegishvili, editor-in-chief of the online outlet Saqinform, and Levan Chachua, leader of the ‘Georgian Idea’ party, also sought to discredit the State Inspector. These actors tried to convey the idea that the Inspector’s Office was controlled by the West. Military blogger Davit Nemsadze accused the US ambassador of meddling in Georgia’s internal affairs over her critical statements about the abolition of the state institution.
|
Levan Chachua, Georgian Idea |
“The past two years have demonstrated the inefficiency of the State Inspector’s Office. The State Inspector’s Office, and I will not mince my words, was an ugly system from the start.” |
|
Arno Khidirbegishvili Editor-in-chief of Saqinform |
“…State Inspector of Personal Data Protection, Londa Toloraia, same as the Public Ombudsman Nino Lomjaria, with their institutions, represent the main anti-state and subversive institutions in Georgia!” |
|
Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, Host at Alt-Info, Leader of the Union of Rights’ Defenders |
“We must leave Nino Lomjaria, Salome Zurabishvili, Londa Toloraia, the UNM, the liberal media, the puppies of Soros and all Georgia’s internal and external enemies behind in 2021.” |
|
Beka Vardosanidze, Blogger |
“Lomjaria is protected by Aunt Kelly [Degnan]!!! Londa Toloraia is protected by Aunt Kelly!!! Yes, but why aren’t they protected by people?” |
|
Davit Nemsadze, Military Blogger |
“You [Kelly Degnan, US Ambassador to Georgia] are already openly dictating to the Georgian authorities, who have become a mob, the dogmas of domestic political life. I do not understand your calls on what decision should be made by the Parliament of Georgia in the process of abolishing the office created by Vice Prime Minister Gakharia with narrow political interests?” |
- The Inspector’s Office pursues the interests of the UNM/Londa Toloraia Adeishvili’s cadre;
Pro-governmental experts, as well as pro-Kremlin, anti-Western outlets and Facebook pages accused the State Inspector of having links with the United National Movement. This opinion was substantiated by the decision of the Inspector’s Office on the imprisonment of the third president Mikheil Saakashvili, as well as the fact that Toloraia worked under the then Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili during the rule of the United National Movement. One of the arguments was also the fact that Londa Toloraia liked the post of a person related to the UNM on Facebook. The leader of the Georgian March, Sandro Bregadze, demanded that the Public Defender be prosecuted together with the Toloraia, because, according to him, both of these institutions have become tools to protect the interests of the UNM and Liberals.
|
Pro-Governmental Experts |
Pro-Kremlin/Anti-Western Actors |
|
Zaal Anjaparidze, Pro-Governmental Expert: “Her conclusion about the publication of the footage of Saakashvili’s transfer to the hospital left me with the impression that the inspector failed the test of impartiality and objectivity. Maybe it is because she is the creation of Saakashvili’s system? In this case, the Georgian Dream reaped what it sowed with her appointment; the same goes for Lomjaria and many others.” “Their [NGOs’] and, as it turned out, Saakashvili’s interest is the same – to keep an acceptable face -Londa Toloraia in office, because of her position on Saakashvili’s case.” |
Sandro Bregadze, Georgian March: “The offices of Londa [Toloraia] and [Nino] Lomjaria should not only be closed but Lomjaria should be brought to justice, as she destroyed the Ombudsman’s Office and turned it into a nest for reptiles to protect Saakashvili, the Liberals and Soros.” |
|
Andria Gvidiani, Expert: “The fact is that the state inspector and the opposition are in full cooperation and act in agreement. However, of course, it is difficult for Toloraia to admit it.” |
Irakli Jankarashvili Author at Tvalsazrisi: “Therefore, it is not surprising why the inspector’s office defended Saakashvili so warmly. Similar to the fact that Lomjaria was appointed as the Ombudsman, who was a clear UNM supporter, the same can be said about Toloraia as well…” |
|
Irakli Lataria, Expert: “Once again on ‘delondarization’ – when I say there is no such thing as a former UNM supporter, some of you come here in the comments and write a thousand nonsense. But here we are; Londa Toloraia writes hearts and expresses love to Davit Sakvarelidze [UNM affiliate] on the social network… Is it not the love of the UNM?” “Londa Toloraia is Adeishvili’s girl, an executioner that has emerged from him.” |
Davit Nemsadze, Military Blogger: [To Londa Toloraia] “It’s a bit embarrassing for you to be called a personal information protection inspector. You were a bloody executioner during the UNM, putting people in prisons innocently for political reasons. Today your only mission is to free Saakashvili. Your office must be demolished, and salt must be poured on the upper foundations so that anti-state interests can never rejoice.” |
|
Zurab Kadagidze, Analyst: “If you had believed in Gogicha and not appointed Adeishvili’s girl as an inspector, the situation would be different now. This woman has served under Adeishvili for years, and she has obtained all of his methods from beginning to end, which is obvious.” |
Anti-Western Doctrine: “Mdinaradze employed his UNM friends in the service of the State Inspector, and similar to the Public Defender’s Office, this institution stood in the service of the UNM.” |
|
Levan Nikoleishvili, Analyst: “Blame on you, Georgian Dream, for keeping and promoting Adeishvili’s girl! Now see the consequences! Get this executioner out of the structure immediately.” |
Jaba Khubua, journalist at “Asaval-Dasavali”: “We hope that the government will not back down because of the UNM’s scuffle and will make the bill, which envisages the abolition of the position of State Inspector and its head, into law! This agency, which does nothing but supporting the UNM and Liberals, should be abolished! This woman – Adeishvili’s Londa and Landi [Shadow][Play with words] – should be removed!” |
Newspaper “Asaval-Dasavali”, Title “Get rid of this woman! Adeishvili’s Londa and Landi [Shadow](Play with words -meaning Toloriaia is Adeishvili’s shadow)
In order to discredit Londa Toloraia and to show that the State Inspector is a UNM cadre, Pro-governmental and anti-opposition Facebook pages, “GeoPress,” “Political Absurdity“, as well as media outlet Prime Time, have been circulating former MP Levan Gogichaishvili’s quote, saying that Toloraia is Adeishvili’s former prosecutor.
One Facebook user, Zaza Kevlishvili, shared a screenshot showing the reactions on Davit Sakvarelidze’s Facebook post, with the text “Is it ok that Londa Toloraia gives heart reactions to Saakashvili’s personal lackey, while she is the head of such an important agency?”
In addition, the pro-governmental media “POSTV” published a video claiming that money was being distributed to UNM members at a rally in support of Toloraia. The mentioned video news disseminated by the agency “Marshalpress“, as well as “Kvira“,For.ge, “Lid.ge“, “Reporter“, “infopostalioni.com“, “Exclusive News“, “Age.ge“, and the anti-opposition pages “Corridor of Shame“, “Political Absurdity” and “Time for Truth” in a coordinated manner.
5. Londa Toloraia is a staff member of the former Prime Minister, Giorgi Gakharia, and is pursuing his interests.
Pro-governmental expert Irakli Lataria and Levan Chachua, leader of the “Georgian Idea” party, linked the service of the State Inspector to former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, claiming that Toloraia was Gakharia’s cadre, who acted by his instructions.
|
“Londa Toloraia was promoted by Gakharia and was appointed as an inspector. Toloraia is the executor of traitor Gakharia’s instructions! This is the truth, and everyone knows it, but no one speaks about it! Toloraia is a person who can never be objective and will always do what UNM-merged Gakharia tells her!” |
|
|
Levan Chachua, Georgian Idea |
“The State Inspector’s Office was created by Gakharia’s direct involvement, at the request of European bosses.” |
Fake Accounts
Along with Londa Toloraia, the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria and ambassadors of the United States and Germany have also become the targets of fake social media accounts for expressing critical assessments of the package prepared for the abolition of the State Inspector’s Office. On December 27th, President Salome Zurabishvili made a statement on the possible abolition of the State Inspector’s Office. On December 28, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria expressed her support for Londa Toloraia and called the package prepared by the parliament a repression against the Independent Institute of Georgia. The expedited project review was also responded to by German Ambassador Hubert Knirsch and US Ambassador Degnan.
The aforementioned fake accounts have been leaving discrediting comments on the posts of the following news agencies: Radio Liberty, Interpressnews.ge, Tabula as well as on the posts published on President Salome Zurabishvili’s Facebook page.
“Myth Detector” revealed a total of 12 fake accounts:
- 4 out of 12 fake accounts use other people’s profile photos, while the remaining 8 hides their identity;
- 1 account is new-created;
- 2 accounts indicate different names in the profile link;
- 2 fake accounts (Nini Amirejibi, Daat Tsabadze) have been involved in discrediting campaigns before.
Steals the Identity of Others
|
Steals a photo used by numerous users on photography blogs and social networks. Likes pages supportive of the “Georgian Dream”.
|
|
|
A newly-created account, which uses the photo used in the advertisement of a woman’s glasses as a profile picture. Likes only the pages of news agencies. |
|
|
Steals the identity of Vkontakte.ru user Ангелина Лебединская. Has 24 friends. Likes pages supportive of the “Georgian Dream”. The account was also involved in the discreditation campaign against Nino Lomjaria. |
|
|
Uses a photo of a Georgian public figure, Kote Abkhaz, as a profile picture. |
Conceals the Identity
|
Conceals the identity; has 25 friends. The account only features profile and cover photo editing activities. |
|
|
Conceals the identity; does not publish any personal information or any other types of posts. |
|
|
Conceals the identity. Likes POSTV – ანალიტიკა POSTV – გართობა,POSTV, შინაგან საქმეთა სამინისტრო / Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, მიხეილ უკრაინოლოგი, POSTV – ახალი ამბები. |
|
|
Conceals the identity; Likes the pages of information agencies. |
|
|
Conceals the identity; Profile link indicates the name giorgio.moschino |
|
|
10. Tamta Dgebuadze |
Does not feature any personal information; Is not active. |
|
Daat Tsabadze has been active in the social network since 2019, participating in the campaign to discredit the anti-occupation protest; He has also been criticizing American democracy after the arrest of Nika Melia in February 2021. |
|
|
Conceals the identity; Supports the “Conservative Movement” party. |
False accounts accused Londa Toloraia, Salome Zurabishvili and Nino Lomjaria of colluding with the UNM, stating that the State Inspector’s service had done nothing significant all along, while Londa Toloraia was an arrogant and “obnoxious” girl, who could not get over losing her job. The fake accounts also urged the ambassadors not to interfere in the internal affairs of the state because no one cared about their opinion anymore.
Comments on the assessments of Kelly Degnan and Hubert Knirsch:
Comments on the assessments of Salome Zurabishvili and Nino Lomjaria:
