Family of 35-Year-Old Prisoner Requests His Early Release Because of Health Problems

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

Prisoner Valeri Kochuashvili’s father requests to pardon his son. He said his son has alarming health conditions. Valeri Kochuashvili serves his imprisonment term in Gldani Prison # 8 where he was ruthlessly beaten on September 13, 2012 because his family had joined Georgian Dream. 

“Our family supported Bidzina Ivanishvili and we joined his political coalition Georgian Dream. After that police officers came to me and requested to give up opposition party because my son was in prison and I had to think about him. We were afraid but they did not allow us to see my son at that time. After the government changed, we managed to visit him. He was ruthlessly beaten, he was limping and had his spine injured. He was beaten on September 13 and told that it was his family’s fault. After the government changed, medical examination showed that he had his spine injured. Finally my son petitioned to the Early Release Commission but they refused to pardon him. A month ago I sent a petition with 40 signatures to the Penitentiary Department but they replied our case was under consideration. My son’s health requires timely treatment. Now he is in better conditions in Rustavi Prison # 2 but went through a disaster in Gldani prison. Nobody paid attention to him; they did not even give medicines. He still has to serve eleven months and we request to pardon him because his health conditions are worsening every day,” Aleksi Kochuashvili said and requested meeting with Eka Beselia, chairwoman of the Human Rights Committee of the Parliament.