Government Is Being Accused of Violating Prisoners’ Rights

Government Is Being Accused of Violating Prisoners’ Rights

Tbilisi. 13.02.06. Media-News. Human rights protection Non-Governmental Organizations and independent advocates are criticizing the government for the difficult social conditions existing within the penitentiary system and for the cases of prisoner torture.

Today, in the "Tbilisi Marriott" hotel, the "Former Political Prisoners For Human Rights", the "Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre", the " Equality Institute", independent advocates and the so-called ‘rebellious judges’ have talked about instances of beating, torture, undressing, insult and other forms of abuse of prisoners in the penitentiary institutions." The branches of state power do not allow the prisoners to stay with their advocates under four eyes. Ignoring all the demands of law, the officials observe and listen to the confidential meetings of prisoners with their advocates. Among other, officials are restricting to the maximum the contacts of imprisoned persons with the outer world and refrain from distributing means of hygiene to prisoners. All of these actions are regarded as assisting in the struggle for lawfulness and crime prevention mechanisms" - said the head of the "Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights", Nana Kakabadze.

The NGO representatives state that the penitentiary system is actually subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and not to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia. They are planning to hold a protest action against the government.