The present report provides information on the joint visit by individuals from the Prevention Mechanism of Georgia and the Department of Gender Equality of the Public Defender’s Office, to the No.5 Women's Penitentiary Special Facility on 19-20 February, 2015. The monitoring visit, organized with the support of UN Woman, was designed to assess the needs of female inmates and prepare recommendations accordingly. The above monitoring group had a basis in Georgian national legislation as well as standards determined by the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (‘the Bangkok Rules’).

Technical reports by members of the Special Prevention Group were used, together with other materials, in the preparation of this report. Documentation obtained during the visit, as well as the reports by members of the monitoring group, are stored in the Public Defender’s Office. The report includes key findings of the monitoring group and is prepared in such a way as to not allow the identification of individual inmates interviewed, due to the confidential nature of the material. Members of the monitoring group were able to travel freely around the facility during their visit, without interference by the administration. The staff of the No.5 Facility submitted all available documentation requested by the group.

According to the Prison Code, the No.5 Facility is a special facility of the Penitentiary Department, where accused/convicted female inmates are placed. The women’s special facility has special protection by armed guards and barriers; and has constant surveillance over the inmates. The women’s special facility is equal to a 'semi-open custodial institution', with the exception of cases provided for by the Code.

During the monitoring visit there were 272 female inmates of legal age in the facility in total; of this number 52 were accused and 220 convicted. 3 women were sentenced to life imprisonment and one of those was pregnant.