On December 7, 2020, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed Giorgi Pataridze, Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service, with a recommendation relating to the identification of indirect discrimination on the ground of gender identity.

The Public Defender was applied by a transgender person placed in a special penitentiary establishment, who indicated that the penitentiary institution did not provide medical services tailored to his needs. Before being placed in the penitentiary establishment, the applicant had undergone hormonal treatment, however, he has not been able to take medication after his imprisonment. He was also refused to get the service of an endocrinologist.

According to the recommendation, it is a guaranteed right of all accused and convicted persons that their medical needs be satisfied and medicines be continuously supplied. Given his gender identity, the applicant needs different medical care tailored to his needs. By refusing the services of an endocrinologist, his specific characteristics were ignored. The Public Defender drew attention to the fact that the prisoner needed to consult not a general profile doctor, but an endocrinologist specialized in the relevant field.

In view of the above, the Public Defender called on the Director General of the Special Penitentiary Service to take appropriate measures to provide the applicant with the service of a specialized endocrinologist, as well as to ensure uninterrupted supply of hormonal medicines to him.