Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi
Representatives of the Public Defender’s Imereti regional office visited prisoner at Kutaisi Prison N2, who has been on hunger-strike since October 21. Ruslan Pertaia, who was convicted for the robbery of one sack of nuts, stopped hunger strike because of health problems. But later he applied to extreme form of protest and sewed up his mouth and eyes.
“The prisoner requests revision of his case and says that he is innocent. Pertaia, who is guilty in robbery requests to appoint his trial as soon as possible. On October 3, he stopped strike due to the trial, which was scheduled on October 7 but then delayed. On October 8, prisoner renewed hunger strike. In addition, he sewed up his mouth and eyes. Convict’s health condition is poor,”- representative of the Public Defender’s office in Imereti Ksenia Meskhidze told humanrights.ge.
The family accuses a senior office at Zugdidi district police in arbitrary detention of Pertaia and asks law enforcements to investigate the case impartially.
“My father’s health condition is very poor. He might die. God save us from that, but if it happens we will not bury deceased. We will take his body to Zugdidi police department. His family members will also kill ourselves,”- said Ruslan Pertaia’s daughter Natia Pertaia. She addresses to the penitentiary department to take appropriate measures to assist the prisoner.