Riots broke out in a penal colony in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Interfax news agency reports on April 18 citing Georgia's Ministry of Penitentiary, Probation and Legal Assistance press service.
Nana Kakabadze, the Chairperson of the Non-Governmental Organization "Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights", told journalists that prisoners went out into the prison courtyard and refused to return to the facility.
Kakabadze said that the revolt was connected with President Saakashvili's Friday amnesty decree on release of over 300 prisoners to mark the Orthodox Easter. Rebellious women are indignant because there were only 23 women and 6 minors among the amnestees.
A source from the Ministry of Penitentiary, Probation and Legal Assistance told the Interfax agency that no SWAT teams will be called to restore order in the rebellious colony. Prison adminstration is presently reported to be reviewing prisoners' demands.
In 2008, the Tbilisi all-female penal colony went on "dry" hunger strike demanding improved incarceration conditions and review of several cases. None of the demands are reported to have been met as a result of that strike, reported Mosnews.