Georgia Investigating Social Media Posts Claiming Mistreatment Against Russian Tourists

Georgia's State Security Service (SSSG) launched a criminal investigation into social media posts accusing the country of systematically mistreating Russian tourists. Proponents of the inquiry claim the posts are part of a disinformation campaign aimed at damaging Georgia's economy. Authorities assert foreign-controlled "bot accounts" circulated false statements on X, proclaiming instances of tourists urinating and spitting in their food.

Subsequently, foreign media outlets amplified the posts, though the specific outlets remain unnamed by the SSGS. On Saturday, the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel, Mash, which is suspected to have connections with Russian security services, posted screenshots of the X posts alongside a caption warning potential visitors to Georgia. The SSGS stated the campaign's objective is to create a false impression that Russian tourists face hostility in Georgia.

Georgian law prescribes up to four years of imprisonment for sabotage, and investigators are currently working to uncover the individuals behind the X accounts and any potential funding sources. One account used a Georgian name in Cyrillic, a peculiar choice given Georgia's use of a unique alphabet. The account accessed X via the Russian App Store but listed its location as the United States.

The account was created in 2011 but did not post until July 29. The SSGS probe follows Georgia Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's accusation that "pseudo-liberal" opposition groups spread anti-Russian sentiments on behalf of foreign interests. Additionally, it follows a recent case where a Georgian man was arrested and fined for assaulting a female Russian-speaking tourist at a hotel in Telavi.