UDO Commission Intends to Set About 200 Prisoners Free

Ana Sheshaberidze

Prisoners still call Russian name “UDO” to the Commission on Early Conditional Release. Short time ago, the commission satisfied the application of 15 out of 127 prisoners and recommended the court to release them earlier. 2 of the released prisoners will be sent to monasteries for the rehabilitation within the Memorandum signed between the Patriarchate and Government.

6 representatives of the Ministry of Penitentiary, Probation and Legal Aid, 2 MPs and one representative of the NGO sector are members of the commission. Gia Arsenishvili is member of the commission from parliamentary majority and Dimitri Lortkipanidze represents parliamentary minority in the commission; Nino Mestumrishvili represents National Council of Youth Organizations of Georgia in the commission.

Commission members were selected on rotation principle and they will be changed once in three months. Arsenishvili, Lortkipanidze and Mestumrishvili were selected late in September and parliamentary majority and minority, as well as NGO sector should select their substitutions before the end of the year.

According to Dimitri Lortkipanidze, the quality of the commission activities has increased that was exposed by the number of released prisoners. 58 prisoners were set free during recent 3 months and 25 of them left custody last month.

“In fact, the amnestied prisoners can also leave custodies in December; these are prisoners convicted under Article 260 Part I and Article 273 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The Commission will send their cases to the court. We plan to release at least 200 people,” said Dimitri Lortkipanidze.

In parallel to it, there is a transition period in the activities of the Commission. After January 2010 their activities will be changed and attorneys will also involve their work.

Dimitri Lortkipanidze initiated to have commission meetings outside the commission office. More precisely, the meetings shall be organized in detention settings and they should meet the applicants when administrative-legal protocol is issued on him/her.

According to commission members, much was changed for the transparency of their work. People can easily get information about cases which are under discussion and the results of the discussions.

Commission member from the NGO sector Nino Mestumrishvili said it is very difficult to select one prisoner out of 127 who will comply with the estimated criteria and requirements of all commission members; however, the commission worked in team and members always made fair decisions.

“Taking into consideration the personal references of the prisoners, goals of the imprisonment, gravity of the crime and other criteria, we have sent recommendations on 12 prisoners to the court,” said Mestumrishvili.

The “UDO” Commission is obliged to hold meetings on 29, 30 or 31 of each month.