HUMAN RIGHTS IN CLOSED INSTITUTIONS (REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM) SITUATION IN PENITENTIARY INSTITUTIONS This report describes results of the monitoring conducted in 2013 in penitentiary institutions, police stations, temporary detention isolators and the Academician B. Naneishvili National Center of Mental Health. It also provides information about the monitoring of small-size family-type children’s homes carried out in February 2014. The monitoring of the penitentiary institutions and the agencies subordinated to the Georgian Interior Ministry system was made possible by the European Union’s financial support. The monitoring of the small-size family-type children’s homes was financed by the Open Society Georgia Foundation. Members of the Prevention and Monitoring Department of the Public Defender’s Office conducted 45 planned visits and 313 special visits to Georgia’s penitentiary institutions meeting 2,670 prisoners during the reporting period. 140 planned visits and 13 special visits were paid to and 107 detainees were visited in temporary detention isolators and police stations within the Georgian Interior Ministry system. 9 visits were paid to and 25 patients were visited in psychiatric institutions. 3 planned visits were paid to detention facilities for military servicemen (hauptwachts) and 27 military servicemen were visited. 30 visits were paid to and 250 children were visited in smallsize family-type children’s homes. During the monitoring visits, Public Defender’s trusties were inspecting both the physical environment and the status of protection of rights of individuals in these institutions. A special attention was paid to the actual treatment of these persons. CHANGES IN THE PENITENTIARY SYSTEM QQ Along with the decrease in the number of prisoners, the funding of the penitentiary system increased. Penitentiary institutions nos. 1 and 4 were shut down due to inappropriate residential conditions; repair works were commenced in the penitentiary institutions nos. 3 and 16 and the Medical Institution for Accused and Convicted Persons. The penitentiary healthcare system received increased funding and attention. The number of prisoners transferred to civilian medical institutions significantly increased in the reporting period. Several programs were launched, including a programme for preventing, diagnosing and treating hepatitis C. Mortality rate decreased. The legal 1 The number of prisoners decreased from 19,349 by December 2012 to 9,177 by December 2013. 2 See https://wcd.coe.int/com.instranet.InstraServlet?command=com.instranet.CmdBlobGet&InstranetImage=538633&SecMode=1&DocId=412108&Usage=2 [last accessed 21.03.2014]. 2013 The reporting period was marked with many positive changes in the penitentiary system. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment has no longer been a systemic issue. Moreover, no single occurrence of torture has been detected and only a few facts of ill-treatment were revealed in the reporting period. We would like to commend the eradication of prison overcrowding1 through active use of legal mechanisms such as amnesty, parole, pardon and release on account of health condition. The measures taken are fully consistent with the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendation concerning prison overcrowding dated 30 September 1999.2 NPM Report 1

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