Prisoner Claims He Was Ruthlessly Beaten and Tortured

Elene Chumburidze

“I confirm that I am ruthlessly beaten and tortured. I have been under psychic and physical oppression for many years…” inmate of the Rustavi Prison # 6 Goderdzi Kiknadze told lawyer Eka Kobesashvili during second meeting and wrote explanation letter about his torture.

Explanation letter of the convicted Goderdzi Kiknadze, inmate of the Rustavi Prison # 6: “I confirm that I was ruthlessly beaten and tortured. I have been under psychic and physical oppression for many years. I request detailed medical examination and treatment. I also request expertise. I confirm that I am intimidated not to spread information about my torture. I request journalists to enter the prison and cover my injuries and horrible health conditions. I confirm that Davit Margebadze beat me. I request investigation of these facts. I also confirm that chief doctor of the prison does not confirm my injuries and prison administration said they would invite expert for me after my bruises fade away in several days. Lawyer of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association Ekaterine Midodashvili also attended my explanation statement.

September 21-22 – Chronicle of Two Days

In the morning of September 20, worried mother of the convicted Goderdzi Kiknadze, Meri Kiknadze called Human Rights Center and said her son had been ruthlessly beaten on the previous night. Strangers had informed her about it from prison.

Human Rights Center’s lawyer Eka Kobesashvili defends the rights of the convicted Goderdzi Kiknadze. Meri Kiknadze alleged her son has evidence about Bacho Akhalaia’s criminal activities and his life is in danger on that ground.

Human Rights Center’s lawyer, humanrights.ge’s journalist and HRIDC.tv’s film crew immediately went to Rustavi prison together with Meri Kiknadze. Having arrived at prison, the mother and lawyer had to wait several hours to get permit to meet the prisoner. During long waiting hours, the situation worsened, when the lawyer and mother learned unverified information that the inmate was dead.

After three-hour waiting and coping with formal barriers Eka Kobesashvili managed to meet the prisoner. Luckily information about the prisoner’s death was not true.

“The prisoner had multiple injuries on the face. He was subjected to extreme psychological oppression. However, he said nobody had physically abused him and had personally injured himself due to emotional collapse having seen the video-footage depicted by TV-Companies,” Eka Kobesashvili said when leaving the custody.

The mother of the convicted spread completely different information after she managed to see her son. Meri Kiknadze said the former director of the prison had entered his cell on the previous night and ruthlessly beat him. She also added that on the same night her son was threatened with liquidation and the convicted had told her about it.

Goderdzi Kiknadze’s mother alleged the abuse of her son is connected with audio-materials which the prisoner had secretly recorded several years ago. She said the audio-evidence proves that senior law enforcement officers threatened him and compelled to make the testimony they dictated.

Having visited her son, Meri Kiknadze started hunger-strike in front of the Rustavi Prison # 6. Late at night, Maestro reported that Goderdzi Kiknadze had already started hunger-strike with the request of medical expertise. The mother did not leave the prison territory during the night due to alleged threat of her son’s liquidation.

In the morning of September 20, Human Rights Center spread information about physical abuse of Goderdzi Kiknadze and requested the government to ensure safety of the prisoner. Based on the spread information, various media sources arrived at the Rustavi Prison and covered the situation in front of the penitentiary setting. Georgian Dream’s majoritarian candidate in Rustavi Zviad Dzidziguri also arrived there and protested oppression on prisoners.

At 18:30 pm Human Rights Center held press-conference in its office. Lawyer Eka Kobesashvili described that-day facts in details to journalists.

Executive director of the Human Rights Center Ucha Nanuashvili said independent and impartial investigation on Goderdzi Kiknadze’s physical assault must start and the Prosecutor’s Office shall study those audio-materials which the mother of the prisoner spoke about.

Ucha Nanuashvili called upon the Minister of Corrections and Legal Aid Giorgi Tugushi, Minister of Interior Bachana Akhalaia, Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili, Chief Prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava, Prime Minister Ivane Merabishvili and President Mikheil Saakashvili to ensure safety of Goderdzi Kiknadze, inmate of Rustavi Prison # 6 and his family members.

In the evening Minister Bachana Akhalaia resigned. Next day, on September 21 Eka Kobesashvili repeatedly met the prisoner. This time, Goderdzi Kiknadze wrote explanation letter and said he was really beaten and requested to spread information and to provide him with independent expertise and proper medical treatment.

It is noteworthy that Goderdzi Kiknadze was beaten and tortured after Maestro and TV 9 depicted horrifying video-footage of prisoners’ torture. It farther aggravates the public interest in this case because society believed nobody would have dared to beat and torture inmates in prison, after several executioners were arrested. 

According to recently spread information, lawyer Eka Kobesashvili informed us from Rustavi that in the afternoon of September 21 a clergyman visited Goderdzi Kiknadze in prison. After their meeting, the prisoner shouted from the cell window that he was again beaten after the meeting with the clergyman.