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Inmates of Batumi Prison # 3 Speak About Grave Conditions in the Facility

February 17, 2015
 
Nino Tsotsoria

Inattention from medical personnel, lack of medicines, unhealthy food, ventilation and water system problem, aggressive and provocative prison personnel – it is list of the problems in the Batumi Prison # 3 and inmates request to address them.

Inmates of the Batumi Prison # 3 sent letter to Human Rights Center, where they complain about grave conditions in the facility.

“We are supplied with the drinking water according to schedule; air-ventilation does not work. Cells have small windows that cannot resolve the problem of fresh air. Some prison officers are aggressive and speak with irony with us.

 “We have serious health problems; we need analysis and medical treatment, as well as medicines but chief doctor Zura Oragvelidze does not pay attention to us at all. He lies each time and avoids meeting with us. Personnel of his medical unit also refuse to meet us,” the prisoners wrote in their letter to Human Rights Center.

According to the convicts, aggression and provocations against them have increased. If they respond to the prison officers with the same aggression they are punished with prohibition of meetings and phone calls to family members and are prohibited to buy food in the shop and receive parcels from families. Conclusion of the Public Defender’s Office also speaks about the problems in the Batumi Prison # 3. The conclusion was prepared after the monitoring by the members of the Prevention National Mechanism. 

Lawyer Tamar Lukava of Human Rights Center said the conditions in the Batumi prison do not meet the norms set by the law and the Ministry of Corrections is obliged to create normal environment for inmates in prison.

“The law clearly states that prisoners must be placed in the environment relevant to their health conditions. Sanitary-hygiene norms must be preserved in the cells and prisoners shall have possibility to enjoy the rights under the law,” Tamar Lukava said.

Public Defender’s Office sent recommendations to the Ministry of Corrections and director of the Batumi Prison # 3 and requested to ensure adequate conditions for prisoners not to violate their moral rights. 

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