Georgia's Interior Ministry Uses Russian Facial Recognition to Identify Protesters
Georgia's Interior Ministry has used Polyface, a facial recognition system developed by sanctioned Russian company Papillon AO, to identify anti-government protesters in Tbilisi since at least 2024. The system remains under Russian jurisdiction and relies on algorithms from another Russian AI company, creating risks that Russian security services could access Georgian citizens' biometric data.
What happened
Georgia's Interior Ministry has used Polyface, a facial recognition system developed by sanctioned Russian company Papillon AO, to identify anti-government protesters in Tbilisi. The investigation by AlgorithmWatch examined how Georgian authorities identified and penalised protesters participating in demonstrations that began in November 2024 in response to the ruling Georgian Dream party's EU U-turn.
Police reports refer to uploading footage to a 'special electronic system' to identify 'suspected offenders', which AlgorithmWatch identified as Polyface. The ministry purchased the latest software update, Polyface 3.7.0, in early June 2025, and in 2025 removed the existing limit that restricted the system to 30 simultaneous operators, requesting a licence allowing unlimited operators.
Reported impact
The system remains under Russian jurisdiction, increasing the risk that Russian security services could gain access to the biometric data of Georgian citizens and posing a threat to both Georgia's national security and civil activists. Papillon AO is under sanctions imposed by Switzerland, Ukraine, Japan and the United States.
Index analysis
Polyface is built on a deep learning recognition algorithm developed by Russian AI company 3DiVi, based in Novosibirsk and backed by a Russian state venture fund. The system can record high-definition images of large crowds in poor lighting and can identify faces under masks or partially covered.
Governance controls
Georgia has been purchasing Polyface since 2013. According to procurement documents, the 2018 upgrade contract required Russian specialists to train operators from Georgia's Interior Ministry directly, and in October 2024 authorities granted the system an indefinite licence.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.