Rights of Political Prisoner Anzor Mezvrishvili Are Systematically Violated

Mariam Khurtsidze

Political Prisoner Anzor Mezvrishvili serves his sentence in Rustavi #17 Penitentiary Department. The head of Legal Department of Human Rights Center Nino Andriashvili defends his rights.

In the month of October of this year Anzor Mezvrishvili’s brother died. According to Georgian legislation, he had right to address the director of the prison in a written form and request right to attend the funeral of his brother.

Anzor Mezvrishvili in fact addressed the head of the prison Lasha Bregvadze. However, the number of registration was not assigned to prisoner’s letter. It is vague whether his address reached the addressee since he still has not received the reply.

On November 2nd the prisoner once again addressed the head of #17 Penitentiary Department of Rustavi Lasha Bregvadze and asked him to explain why he was not given right to attend the funeral of his brother. The prisoner’s letter again was not registered.

Anzor Mezvrishvili is elderly and has heart problems and hypertonia. He prepared a long letter regarding the violations of his rights and was going to address the US Embassy.

As the prisoner stated to Nino Andriashvili, social worker ordered him to rip off the letter prepared to be sent to US Embassy. After several days, through the prisoners close with the administration he was warned to stop writing complains or else he would be destroyed.

Lawyer Nino Andriashvili addressed the Ministry of Penitentiary and the head of #17 Penitentiary Department of Rustavi Lasha Bregvadze regarding the violations of Anzor Mezvrishvili’s rights.

“His rights are violated every day. The newspapers are no longer distributed to him. We requested from the Administration to stop his persecution, answer his letters and give him a chance to apply rights envisaged by law,” – Nino Andriashvili states.

According to current legislation, defendant/convict has right to send and receive the unlimited number of letters according to the rule established by this code. The prison administration ensures that the letters sent to the defendant/convict are passed to him/her. Also the prison administration ensures that the letters of defendant/convict are sent to the addresses.

According to the legislation of Georgia, the prisoner must also have right to use of telephone and correspondence. Especially concerning personal circumstances, the prison administration can enable convict to leave the prison department if there is a trustworthy notification about the death of close relative or life-threatening illness.

Anzor Mezvrishvili is a member of political party Samartlianoba (justice) and was detained during the events of August 2008. He is acknowledged to be a political prisoner by human rights defenders.