The Tbilisi Prison #8 administration still refuses to allow Ilia Tarashvili, a prisoner to take a walking cane and inhalator into his cell. Nino Andriashvili, Tarashvili’s attorney and the Human Rights Center’s lawyer have jointly applied to the prison administration last week, It was explained that Tarashvili has not been allowed to have the above-mentioned items in his cell. However, the attorney’s application was rejected.
The Sighnaghi District Procesutor’s Office launched a case against Ilia Tarashvili for cow rustling back in 2003. Tarashvili maintans his innocence and states that he did not committed a crime. He was asked by Sandro Kutibashvili, Dedoplistskaro District investigator to confuse to the crime under false pretenses. The investigator promised that the court would not punish him immediately as he (Tarashvili) was ill. However, Shalva Mchedlishvili, the judge of Gurjaani District Court passed judgement and a verdict of 8 years and 7 months of inprisonment was fixed two weeks ago.
In the meantime, however, Ilia Tarashvili continues to be very ill. He is sufferring from systemic tuberculosis. He is bleeding from the lungs and unable to breathe normally. Morover, his right leg is broken and the injury has not normall healed as yet. It is because of this he needs a cane to assist in walking unaided. Each day the prisoner’s conditions continues to detioriorate. However, has not been allowed to have either an inhalator or a walking cane in the cell.
Gela Mtivlishvili,Kacketi