The videos shocked the public which has since the night of September 18 been staging protests in various locations of Tbilisi and other Georgian cities.

The videos showed how the personnel of the Gldani prison no 8 in Tbilisi, senior officers of the custody and penitentiary department among them, torture inmates.

Among other things the videos show prison guards raping inmates with a broomstick and several prison guards beating two inmates witnessed by guards and inmates.

An additional video was released on September 19 that shows prison guards beating and threatening a juvenile inmate. The videos have resulted in big protests in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities. 

Georgians protest against torture in prisons, in Tbilisi, Georgia, 19 September 2012. Demonstrators protested against the government after video footage was released depicting torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners on 18 September. Photo: Alex Kedelashvili

The acts shown in the video are examples of ill treatment in the Georgian prison system, which human rights organizations have reported for several years.

The spread videos is just one example of the systemic problem which exists in the penitentiary department, reads the statement from several human rights organizations in Georgia, including the Article 42 of the Constitution and the Human Rights Center, members of the Human Rights House Tbilisi.

Problem of inhuman treatment exists not only in penitentiary system but in the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the facts of violence with regard to significant political events like May 26, 2011, June 15, 2009 and November 7, 2007 demonstrate the similar problems in the MIA system, states Ucha Nanuashvili, head of Human Rights Center.

Students in Tbilisi protest against torture in prisons taking marsh from state University to MIA office, 20 September 2012. Demonstrators protested against the government after video footage was released depicting torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners. Photo: Alex Kedelashvili

Members of Human Rights House Tbilisi, Human Rights Center, Article 42 and Georgian Center for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims have for years been providing legal assistance to the prisoners, have been filing the cases of torture and ill-treatment in prisons at the European Court for Human Rights, and have been providing psychological and medical treatment to the victims of abuse in prisons.

In the current crisis, they have joined the public and demand the Georgian government to set up special, independent and impartial investigative commission to study the hard situation not only in Gldani prison no 8 but in the entire penitentiary system.

Article 42 addressed an appeal for urgent action also to the United Nations Subcommittee on Torture and Illegal Treatment where they ask them to conduct a visit to Georgia.

Saakashvili appoints ombudsman as prison minister
The Minister of Penitentiary, Khatuna Kalmakhalidze resigned from her post on September 19.

President Saakashvili reacted to the revealed facts by regretting the obviously systemic abuse in Georgian prisons and appointed the current ombudsman, Giorgi Tughushi, the new Minister of Penitentiary and asked him for a thorough reform of the system.

Although the Ombudsman has previously called the government’ s attention to the abuse and torture in Georgian prisons, human rights groups in Georgia hope he will be stronger and more outspoken in his new position than he was so far.

President Saakashvili also ordered the police to enter the prisons to oversee them until prison staff is retrained or replaced. This was a very controversial move, since the police is under direct command of Minister of Interior.

However, in the late evening of September 19, the Minister Akhalaia resigned stating that he takes moral and political responsibility.

Bacho Akhalaia has preceded the prison system in 2005-2008 and is thought to informally oversee it until today.

He has been previously accused by human rights groups and opposition of human rights violations in prisons.

One of the sources of the compromising video footages, Lado Bedukidze, currently in hiding in Europe, publicly said he is ready to testify that the Bacho Akhalaia personally ordered the torture and also filming it.

Students in Tbilisi continue protest against torture in prisons in front of Penitentiary Ministry, 20 September 2012. Photo: Alex Kedelashvili

Allegedly, the tapes were to be kept by the Ministry of Interior in case the prisoners re-enter criminal world after their release and also to use as a psychological pressure on others to get testimonies.

The videos would be considered very humiliating by many of the convicts and the Ministry of Interior would thus maintain control over the individuals.

Crisis continues over prisoner abuse
In the most notorious prison, Gldani, No 8, where the videos were shot, hundreds of relatives of the imprisoned were allowed to see them to make sure they are healthy and not subject to violence.

Today, the new minister Tugushi allowed journalists to shoot prison and record prisoners.

The inmates confirmed the common practice of torture and inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment by the prison administration and named several of them by screaming out from cells. They say also that after releasing those videos they are treated well.

However, in another prison, Rustavi No 6, one of the inmates, Goderdzi Kiknadze claims that he is severely beaten.

Mother of the imprisoned has been informed yesterday, on September 19 that her son is being beaten in the prison. Today, after overcoming numerous denials of entry to the prison, she and Human Rights Center’s lawyer managed to see Goderdzi Kiknadze.

To his mother he confirmed he has been tortured and threatened to be killed the same day. Human Rights Center has alerted the ombudsman’s office, who is the only HR body in Georgia with the right to enter prisons without prior permission, to immediately go and inspect the situation of the prisoner.

As of the time of the issue of this article, several hours after learning about the fact, the monitoring group of the ombudsman has not visited the prison.

Women cry at the demonstrate on September 19. Demonstrators protested against the government after video footage was released depicting torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners on 18 September. Photo: Nino Gvedashvili

Prisoner’s mother alleges her son was ruthlessly beaten in rustavi prison last night because he blames Bacho Akhalaia in murder, which occurred 13 years ago.

“My son kept silence for a long time; because he was afraid of being killed if he had said truth. Short time ago, he decided to tell the truth because he prefers to die than stay in prison for life. I am very scared! I have the only son and they are going to kill him!” the prisoner’s mother says.  

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Ane Tusvik Bonde
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Amund Trellevik
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