Tbilisi, Georgia, Dec. 18
By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend:
On Wednesday over 900 prisoners serving sentences in penal institution No. 14 in the village of Geguti (Imereti region, Western Georgia) declared a hunger strike, Georgian Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance Sozar Subari said at a press conference on Dec. 18.
Earlier, representatives of NGOs said that 1200 prisoners declared a hunger strike in Geguti.
The minister said the prisoners are protesting against the suspension of creation of a commission for establishing the shortcomings in justice and they require reconsidering the issue. Some prisoners also require the abolition of Article 223-1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.
"Today 909 people have declared a hunger strike in Geguti. We will pay maximum attention to them, but there is nothing we can do for them. The government gave the answer regarding those who are on hunger strike in connection with the commission; we are working on this issue. And those who are on hunger strike due to Article 223-1, they starve in vain, because the policy will not change. I say frankly, very tightly and clearly. It is the policy of the government," Subari said.
Translated by E.A.