The present document is a report on the visit undertaken by the National Preventive Mechanism of Georgia on 27-28 November 2014 to the Prison N8.

During the preparation of this report, along with other materials, the technical reports of experts participating in the visit of the National Preventive Mechanism were also used. The documents acquired during the visit, as well as the reports of the members of the Monitoring Group, are stored in the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia. The present report contains the main findings of the Monitoring Group and is structured in a way that will not allow the identification of the respondent prisoners in view of the confidential nature of interviews.

It should be noted that in one particular case, on 12 of November 2014, the representatives of the Public Defender witnessed how two prisoners were lying on the floor in wet clothes in the shower room of the smart reception unit of the Prison N8. M.U. had his arms and legs tied together with a special chain. Both prisoners had visible signs of violence, including on their faces. M.U. had a cut around the forehead area that was bleeding, as well as other multiple injuries, while M.P. had a bruise on his right eye.

After the examination of the relevant documentation, it was found that from 10 October to 28 November, 2014, eight prisoners were injured as a result of fights in Facility N8.

It is noteworthy that in certain cases, remand prisoners/convicts are placed in the same cell, which is not justified from the perspective of security, and violates requirements prescribed by the Prison Code.

Social workers, psychologists, doctors, and the administration in general, have difficulties to communicate with prisoners who cannot speak in Georgian, which hinders the provision of respective services to these prisoners.

Social workers, psychologists, doctors, and the administration in general, have difficulties to communicate with prisoners who cannot speak in Georgian, which hinders the provision of respective services to these prisoners.

As a result of the examination, it was found that the consultation provided by the invited doctors is not duly documented. It also regularly occurs that the date when the prisoner was registered for appointment with a specialized doctor is not indicated, and therefore, it is impossible to find out what the waiting period was.

As explained by the medical personnel, the primary health care doctors maintain the list of prisoners registered for appointment with the psychiatrist, and they give the list to the psychiatrists. In some cases, primary health care doctors do not enter the name of some prisoners in the list, despite the demand to do so, because they believe that prisoners are faking an illness.