On 24 May, 2016, the Ministry of Corrections notified the Public Defender that the right violation indicated in the Public Defender’s recommendation had been eliminated not only in relation to the applicant, but also to all potential victims.

On 24 February, 2016, the Public Defender addressed the Government, the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs, and the Minister of Corrections to establish the fact of degrading treatment and discrimination on grounds of nationality of an inmate in penitentiary institution N17.

Convict K.K. is suffering from hepatitis C, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and diabetes. It is recommended to treat him with the Sofosbuvir medicine, which is available within the State Program on First-Phase Measures for Management of Hepatitis C. The convict was refused to be treated, as he is not a citizen of Georgia. The state refuses to involve foreign citizens and stateless persons in the hepatitis C program, or to consider any exceptional cases, in order to protect the safety of medicines.

On 24 February, 2016, the Ministry of Corrections informed the Public Defender that as a result of active cooperation and communication with the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs, the problem indicated in the Public Defender’s recommendation had been eliminated, and as of today, all foreign citizen/stateless persons placed in penitentiary facilities, including K.K., have the opportunity to get engaged in the State Program on First-Phase Measures for Management of Hepatitis C. According to the letter of the Ministry, the issue is regulated by article 2 of order N169 on “Approval of State Program on First-Phase Measures for Management of Hepatitis C” adopted by the Government of Georgia on 20 April 2015.