Imagine that you are a gay in a predominantly orthodox country.

Imagine that you are having sex with some public figure

Imagine that you are secretly taped while having sex with the same public figure

Imagine that these incriminating videos are being used against you and your partner, the public one.

I think this is very hard to imagine in general, especially when you live in a country where human rights are well protected and where privacy is a precious thing.

Being unbelievable for someone, turns out to be a terrible experience for some others in Georgia.

On January 14, 2013, Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia announced that previous leadership of the Military Police, Ministry of Defense, recorded videos of public figures (officials) having gay sex and used those videotapes for blackmailing them.

Definitely, this kind of method for threatening, blackmailing and assaulting people is not an innovation, but took place in almost every country of the world, in various periods of the history.

Though, after revealing videotapes of Sexual abuse in Gldani Prison, Georgia, it was still no surprise for the society.  Many Human Rights Organizations, including "LGBT Georgia" recalled this fact, asking the officials to stop broadcasting of video materials through TV channels, though according to the Transparency International Georgia “TV stations failed to comply with the Code of Conduct for Broadcasters, according to which TV stations shall not show sex in programs aired before midnight and shall only portray sex or discussions about sex between 20:00 and 23:00 if this is justified by public interested and edited in a proper form. The Code also highlights that when reporting on crime “broadcasters shall seek to balance the freedom of expression with the presumption of innocence and respect for the privacy of suspect, accused, convict, witness and victim.”

Following these recalls, on January 15, Archil Kbilashvili, the Prosecutor General of Georgia explained that the Prosecutor’s Office didn't violate human rights by showing the videotapes, as it was impossible to identify the people in secretly taped videos.

Explanation is not a relief, but on the contrary, existence of such incriminating videos is and always will be the reason for permanent fear for those who were taped and for those who are not taped as well.

Presently, active LGBT organizations in Georgia scheduled Facebook event for protesting blackmailing, entrapment and humiliating of people for their sexuality, in front of the Persecutor’s Office of Georgia.   

Recently, Organization "IDENTOBA" launched online campaign  "Trap Me"

Photo (C) Eric Politzer for Identoba [/caption]