[prisoner-rights] Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee visits Georgia

Strasbourg, 05.04.2007 -- A delegation of the Council of Europe's
Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment (CPT) recently carried out a two-week visit to Georgia. The
visit, which began on 21 March 2007, was the CPT’s third periodic
visit to Georgia.

During the visit, the delegation assessed progress made as regards the
treatment of persons detained by the police and the practical operation of
the safeguards in place. In the area of prisons, the visits to two
recently opened establishments provided an opportunity to examine the
effect of the on-going reform of the penitentiary system. At the same
time, particular attention was paid to the treatment of remand prisoners
in Tbilisi and Zugdidi. The visit also provided an opportunity to examine
the situation in psychiatric establishments and to assess the legal
safeguards applicable to involuntary psychiatric patients under the new
Law on Psychiatric Care. Further, the delegation visited for the first
time in Georgia a special school for juvenile delinquents.

In the course of the visit, the CPT’s delegation held consultations
with Gia KAVTARADZE, Minister of Justice, Zurab ADEISHVILI, Prosecutor
General, Givi MIKANADZE, Deputy Minister of Justice, Ekaterine ZGULADZE,
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Nikoloz PRUIDZE, Deputy Minister of
Labour, Health and Social Affairs, Bela TSIPURIA, Deputy Minister of
Education and Science, as well as other senior Government officials. It
also met with Sozar SUBARI, Public Defender of Georgia, and his Deputy,
Grigol GIORGADZE. Further, discussions were held with members of
non-governmental and international organisations active in areas of
concern to the CPT.

At the end of the visit, the delegation presented its preliminary
observations to the Georgian authorities.

The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT: 

- Zdnek HÁJEK (Czech), Head of delegation 
- Birgit LIE (Norwegian) 
- Marc NÈVE (Belgian) 
- Jean-Pierre RESTELLINI (Swiss) 
- Vitolds ZAHARS (Latvian). 

They were supported by Petya NESTOROVA (Head of Division), Borys WODZ and
Isabelle SERVOZ-GALLUCCI of the CPT's Secretariat, and assisted by two
experts: James McMANUS, Professor of Criminal Justice at Glasgow
Caledonian University (United Kingdom), and Catherine PAULET,
psychiatrist, Head of the Regional Medical and Psychological Service,
Baumettes Prison, Marseilles (France).

The delegation visited the following places: 

Establishments under the Ministry of Internal Affairs 

- Temporary detention isolator, Khobi 
- Temporary detention isolator, Kutaisi 
- Temporary detention isolator, Rustavi 
- Temporary detention isolator No. 1, Tbilisi 
- Temporary detention isolator No. 2, Tbilisi 
- Old Tbilisi No. 1 Division of Internal Affairs, Tbilisi 
- Old Tbilisi No. 2 Division of Internal Affairs, Tbilisi 
- Isani-Samgori District Division of Internal Affairs, Tbilisi 
- Vake-Saburtalo District Division of Internal Affairs, Tbilisi 
- Temporary detention isolator No. 1, Zugdidi 
- Temporary detention isolator No. 2, Zugdidi 

Establishments under the Ministry of Justice 

- Penitentiary establishment No. 2, Rustavi (follow-up visit) 
- Prison No. 6, Rustavi 
- Prison No. 5, Tbilisi (follow-up visit) 
- Prison No. 7, Tbilisi 
- Prison No. 4, Zugdidi 

Establishments under the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social
Affairs 

- Psychiatric Hospital, Kutiri 
- Asatiani Psychiatric Institute, Tbilisi 

Establishments under the Ministry of Defence 

- Military detention unit (“Hauptvacht”),Tbilisi 

Establishments under the Ministry of Education and Science 

- Special school for juvenile delinquents, Samtredia.