Beaten Prisoner Has Cancer

Sopo Getsadze

The prisoner, who was beaten in the custody by prison personnel, is now coping with death. The Human Rights Center’s lawyer Nino Andriashvili said the health conditions of the inmate are extremely grave – he cannot move, he has terrible pains, often faints and has problems with memory.

Accused Baaka Kopaliani was arrested in May of 2009 for robbery and was put in Gldani prison # 8. On the second day of imprisonment, he was physically assaulted. Kopaliani said he preferred to keep silence about the incident because he was afraid of future harassment too. However, he permanently suffered from pains and finally has got disabled.

After the investigation was finished, Kopaliani was moved to Rustavi Prison # 17. The convicted could move only by wheelchair. In Rustavi Prison, doctor examined him based on his request and diagnosed inflammation of genitals. After the health conditions of the prisoner worsened, he was taken to a jail hospital. Kopaliani said he was compelled to sign an empty paper for analysis. Later, he found out that he had signed the agreement on the amputation of his genitals; though he was not warned about it in advance.

Final diagnose on Baaka Kopaliani was cancer; though the lawyer is not sure about the validity of the medical conclusion. The convicted was operated four times. Some parts of his genitals were amputated. After the operations he was taking plenty of painkillers. Now, he has problems with memory too.

Lawyer Nino Andriashvili said the prisoner still suffers from pains; but the prison doctor does not bother to thoroughly examine the convicted. She added, the prisoner has C Hepatitis, has memory problems, and often faints. Nevertheless, nobody pays attention to his serious health problems.

Nino Andriashvili intends to appeal to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office and request investigation of the case. “The law prohibits usage of physical force against any criminal. It is criminal offence and the case shall be launched under torture article and the person, who assaulted the prisoner, shall be punished in accordance to the law. In addition, the doctor of the Rustavi Prison # 8, who made diagnose without preliminary examination and gave a lot of painkillers to the prisoner, as well as the doctors of the jail hospital who did not properly examine the convicted, shall be punished.”

The lawyer will also petition to the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Aid of Georgia and prison administrations.

Andriashvili speaks about responsibilities of the prison administrations and the Ministry too. She said they are entitled to monitor the situation in the custodies. In fact, nobody monitors penitentiary settings and do not pay proper attention to the convicted people.