On January 15, the Facebook page “Agentura” published a photo depicting the members of the “Lelo for Georgia” party. The photo, which shows the icon of Stalin behind Mamuka Khazaradze, is accompanied by an ironic description- “The photo was sent to us from the Political Council of Lelo. The photo demands observation.” The page has a sponsored the mentioned post.
The photo, which is published by the page “Agentura, is altered and aims to discredit the “Lelo” party. Stalin’s icon cannot be found in the authentic photo. Not to mention, the page “Agentura” often sponsors posts that aim to discredit the “Lelo” party.
The party “Lelo for Georgia” itself published a photo of the session of the political council on its Facebook page.
The altered photo that was published by “Agentura” is sponsored. However, this is not the first time that “Lelo for Georgia” has become the target of the mentioned Facebook page.
According to the Facebook Ads library, “Agentura” often publishes discrediting posts directed against the members of Lelo. Each post is sponsored for less than $100, and the advertiser is the page itself.
As of January 17, 2024, the page “Agentura” sponsored 290 ads, most of which are aimed at discrediting various opposition parties and their leaders. Since its creation, the page has spent 2,636 USD only on financing the content of social, electoral, and political topics. In addition, sponsored posts that deal with social issues and politics in some cases (archive) are distributed without the proper indication and, accordingly, confirmation of the source of funding.
About “Agentura”
Facebook page Agentura was created on February 17, 2023, under the name of Georgian archive, and changed several names since.
The page regularly publishes discrediting posts about Georgian opposition MPs and journalists, as well as the former US ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan. Most of the posts are anti-Western and homophobic.
At the end of July 2023, the page was involved in the discrediting campaign directed against the fourth president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili. On July 24, the page disseminated the disinformation that Margvelashvili received 11,500 USD for praising Saakashvili.
Notably, according to the Facebook Ad Library, the majority of the posts published by the page are sponsored.
Archive link of the altered photo
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