The party "Gakharia for Georgia is calling for legislative amendments aimed at punishing individuals involved in so-called call centres, including those who operate them and those who provide them with protection
The party For Georgia is calling for legislative amendments aimed at punishing individuals involved in so-called call centres, including their organisers and those who provide them with protection.
Specifically, the party plans to register a bill in Parliament proposing the addition of two new provisions to the Criminal Code: Article 180¹ and Article 211¹.
According to For Georgia MP Sopho Khorguani, the operations of so-called call centres have taken on the character of transnational crime and caused significant reputational damage to the country.
Khorguani called on Georgian Dream to support the bill if it genuinely wants to put an end to call-centre operations.
“Today, the parliamentary faction of our party, For Georgia, is registering a bill concerning the activities of call centres. As you know, over recent years, call centres have become a horrific criminal phenomenon in our country, causing enormous damage to the reputation of our state. It is particularly regrettable that young people are predominantly involved in this serious crime.
“That is precisely why we have called for the addition of two new provisions to the Criminal Code - Article 180¹ and Article 211¹ - as well as corresponding amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code.
“This crime must be classified as a separate offence because, unfortunately, over the past few years, numerous fraud schemes have been carried out through call centres and, more broadly, through the use of digital technologies and social media. The activities of call centres constitute a particularly repulsive and immoral form of crime. They prey on elderly people and senior citizens not only in Georgia but also in other countries. This has become a form of transnational crime and has caused enormous reputational damage to our state.
We must save our young people - prevent them from becoming involved in this immoral activity. Many of them may not even realise that what they are doing constitutes a very serious crime. That is why it is important to have a separate provision in the Criminal Code, so that young people will think twice before getting involved in such activities in the future.
Most importantly, not only those directly involved in these operations but also their organisers, those who recruit young people and draw them into this business, their facilitators and protectors must all be held criminally liable.
Now the most important question is what decision the Georgian Dream government, which claims to be fighting call centres, will make. We have also heard Bera Ivanishvili's statement that he intends to sue those who accuse him of protecting call centres. If they genuinely want to put an end to these operations, then they should do the right thing and support this bill,” Khorguani said.
