Georgia's Controversial Contract Renewal with Cellebrite Amid Political Turmoil

Georgia has renewed contracts with Israeli tech firm Cellebrite for data extraction software amid anti-government protests. Cellebrite products, widely used in digital forensics by law enforcement like the FBI, enable access to locked devices. Political unrest escalates as opposition parties accuse the ruling party of election fraud.

Amid ongoing political unrest, Georgia is renewing its contracts with the Israeli technology firm Cellebrite DI Ltd to acquire software that extracts data from mobile devices, according to state procurement documents. These contracts come as the country faces turbulent street protests against the government.

The Georgian interior ministry has extended its licenses for Cellebrite's Inseyets digital forensics products, planning to invest $2.4 million in new purchases over three years. The software is imperative for law enforcement to access locked devices, allowing for lawful data extraction. These products are popular with agencies such as the FBI.

Georgia's political crisis, ignited by accusations of a rigged parliamentary election, has intensified. Continued protests have led to police crackdowns and attacks on opposition figures. Amidst this turmoil, Cellebrite, mindful of its international reputation, has halted sales to Serbia following Amnesty International's report on misuse of its software.

(With inputs from agencies.)