Prisoners Protest Video-Cameras in Penitentiary Establishments

Salome Chkheidze

On August 15, prisoner Ivane Giglemyan contacted Human Rights Center from Prison # 7 and notified about existing situation in the penitentiary establishment. He said inmates protested installment of video-cameras in the facility with hunger-strike.

“We have been on hunger-strike for the second day because they are installing video-cameras in the cells. They started official installment of cameras, after we discovered secret ones in the walls of the cell and toilets. Parliament is about to pass law to combat video-recording of personal lives but they are starting installment of video-cameras now. When we ask them to clarify the reason, they say they are not accountable before prisoners,” Giglemyan said.

Human Rights Center contacted Penitentiary Department to hear their position about the situation in Prison # 7. The department representatives said every prisoner, who was on hunger-strike for video-cameras, have stopped it now and there is stable situation in the facility.

Head of penitentiary department Mikheil Gachava also commented on the fact and said cameras are installed in the cells in accordance to the law and it is usual process in every civilized state of Europe.

“Cameras will be installed everywhere where it is needed. I would like to underline, that cameras are installed based on the request of prisoners and they had information about it. I do not know why they started hunger-strike then,” Gachava said.