Address of the Georgian Alliance of the Reform of the Penitentiary and Probation Systems

Address of the Georgian Alliance of the Reform of the Penitentiary and Probation Systems to request prevention and effective response to the spread of the COVID-19 in the penitentiary system 

The COVID-19 related worldwide pandemic created serious problems for many countries and nations. The authorities of the countries have to cope with many urgent problems.

In similar situation, it is essential to pay particular attention to the penitentiary system in the country. We have information about various activities implemented by the Government of Georgia to prevent the spread in the penitentiary establishments. The facilities with particularly large number of inmates are of particular interest; some prisons (for example Ksani prison N15) are overcrowded. 

Pursuant to the March 30 statement of the Minister of Justice, 780 members of the prison personnel are working in emergency regime and live in the penitentiary establishments throughout the period of the state of emergency in order to combat import of the infection into the facilities from outside. 

We are fully aware that in the current situation unprecedented measures are necessary to be taken but we would like to note that it should not violate the labor and health rights of the prison personnel and they (particularly lower level personnel and people working in shifts) shall receive bonuses in accordance to the law and they should get three meals a day as well as the medical assistance when needed. 

The worldwide pandemic is particularly dangerous for the vulnerable groups, among them are prisoners. The closed space, which is not aired regularly and where people are placed in a small space, is particularly risky environment for the spread of infections. The prison inmates have grave health problems and comorbidity is a frequent case.  

In accordance to the international standards, the essential part of the state’s obligation is to ensure the protection of the health of prison inmates.

Many international organizations issued recommendations with regard to the penitentiary systems in the state of emergency. 

Considering the number of the accused and convicted people currently placed in the Georgian penitentiary system – approximately 10 000 people, as well as several thousand employees of the penitentiary system, we address: 

The Ministry of Justice and Special Penitentiary Service:

To regularly inform the society about the planned and carried out activities for the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 and for the management of the infection in the penitentiary system of Georgia; 

To elaborate the crisis response plan (the action plan to react when there are suspected, presumed and confirmed cases) to manage the COVID-19 infection and prevent its spread pursuant to the March 23, 2020 interim guidelines of the Europe Office of the World Health Organization with the participation of the public healthcare experts; 

To provide the inmates with hygiene items and respective equipment to enable them to protect personal hygiene and clean their cells with disinfection substances;

To prepare and hand out information resources (brochures, posters) to raise awareness of the prisoners about the COVID-19 and the ways of the prevention of the spread of the infection in a language familiar to the majority of inmates;

When conjugal meetings are generally restricted, to allow prisoners to enjoy phone and video calls to keep contact with the outside world;

To consider the issue of the early release of the inmates of particular risk – prisoners with grave health problems, elderlies, pregnant women, the convicted mothers, who have children under 3; in parallel to that, the environment where they will go after the release shall be preliminarily assessed in order to ensure the protection of their health and best interests;

To reduce number of inmates in the overcrowded semi-open prison facilities and to place the prisoners so that their big number is not placed in common space;

To ensure training of the prison personnel to increase their awareness about the coronavirus infection and to provide them with special protection equipment.

We call on the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia and judiciary authority to give preference to non-imprisonment alternative compulsory measures and punishments against the people accused in less grave and violent crimes to reduce number of inmates in the penitentiary establishments and to ensure better prevention and management of the spread of the infection in prisons. 

In addition to the abovementioned circumstances, the under-signatory organizations express readiness, within our competence, to support all steps taken in this direction and to participate in the activities planned for the fulfillment of the abovementioned recommendations. 

The member organizations of the Georgian Alliance of the Reform of the Penitentiary and Probation Systems:

Human Rights Center
Association Woman and Business
Institute of the Democracy and Safe Development (IDSD)
Rehabilitation Initiative for Vulnerable Groups (RIVG)
Association of IDP Women “Consent”
Informational Medical-Psychological Center “Tanadgoma”
Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) 
Foundation “Global Initiative in Psychiatry – Tbilisi” (GIP-Tbilisi)
Penal Reform International –South Caucasus Regional Office 
Center “Empathy”
Georgian Center for Psycho-Social and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT)