Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance denies new cases of prisoner abuse

On October 7 information spread that 4 prisoners were beaten in Gldani prison number 8. One of the relatives of a prisoner talked with the prisoners from outside and he was informed that the situation is terrible in the prison and they need help. The surnames of three of the  four prisoners who were probably beaten were given.

After hearing the information that prisoners were beaten last week, relatives of prisoners Sadoian and Davrishev gathered in front of the. They claim that guards beat the prisoners and that their relatives are in hospital in a critical condition. According to them, Sadoian is in a critical condition and has undergone surgery several times.

Giorgi Mshvenieradze, an assistant of the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance  was in the prison for nearly for two hours with David Asatiani, head of the Health department, and stated that there was no beating of prisoners and everything is quiet in Gldani prison.

According to Mshvenieradze, he met those four prisoners in number 18 hospital and they were not beaten. They had made requests and said that if those requests were not satisfied they would harm themselves.

“They wanted to allow journalists to enter the prison; we told them this couldn't happen every day. They also asked to meet Lali Moroshkina, who has said that she will visit prisoners on Wednesday. They also requested an investigation into previous cases of violence which took place in the prison. We explained that soon a special investigation commission will be created that will work on this case. After talking with us, the prisoners have ended their protest and everything is quiet”, said Giorgi Mshvenieradze.

Giorgi Mshvenieradze said that the relatives of Jora Sadoian and Badri Davrishev  who have been in front of the  Gldani prison for several days and claim that their relatives were beaten are wrong. There were no cases of inhuman acts towards them. As the assistant to the Minister stated, Davrishev and Sadoian were allowed to contact their relatives after their meeting.

“Sadoian is under postoperative observation. According to my information Davrishev, whoused to work in the same facility, has self-inflicted injuries but investigation is still ongoing and the final results will be released after the investigation is finished” said Mshvenieradze.

According to him, both of them suffered injuries before the appointment of the new Minister. Mshvenieradze rules out acts of violence against prisoners after the approval of the new minister on September 20. “If these kinds of acts happened, everyone will be punished for illegal actions against prisoners”- stated Mshveneiradze, who also talked with the relatives of Davrishev and Sadoian and gave information about their condition.

Also Giorgi Mshvenieradze discussed with the head of the health department of the penitential system about the possible transfer of several prisoners to another institution.

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