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Prisoners Request Adequate Medical Service

October 1, 2013
 
Tamta Tvalavadze

Inmates of Ksani Prison # 15 Giga Arabuli and Levan Zavrishvili blame the prison administration in inattentive and negligent approach to their health problems. 

The lawyer of the convicted person Gocha Jabanashvili said: “Arabuli’s health conditions have been worsening since 2009 as a result of physical assault and ill-treatment in the custody. After the Coalition Georgian Dream came in office, he has not been harassed in the prison but his health conditions remained extremely poor. Doctors hardly visit the penitentiary establishment, while the prisoner needs urgent operation. The prison administration does not care about it.”

Human Rights Center also took up convicted Giga Arabuli’s case and head of legal aid unit Tamar Avalyani requested documentation on health conditions of the prisoner from the Ksani Prison #15. According to the provided documents, the prisoner has problems with leg, back, stomach and lungs; he needs immediate operation.

“When there are factors threatening the health of the prisoner, state institutions are entitled to take relevant measures and ensure adequate medical treatment for the prisoner. Arabuli shall be immediately examined and operated on. His right to medical service is breached and the state is guilty in it,” Avalyani said.

Human Rights Center petitioned to the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Aid of Georgia with regard to Arabuli’s case though they had not responded to the petition yet.

Another inmate of the same penitentiary establishment Levan Zavrishvili also complains about negligent attitude towards his health problems and improper medical treatment. His mother Makvala Zviadauri said her son’s health problems started after his detention on April 2, 2012 when police officers ruthlessly beat him in the penitentiary establishment. Zviadauri said after this incident, her son got sick with many diseases.

Lawyer Nino Andriashvili of Human Rights Center, who protects rights of Zavrishvili, said that the prisoner has serious health problems. 

“He suffers from terrible pains; he even lost conscious several times. Despite that, no concrete measures were taken to provide him with proper medical treatment. Human Rights Center has petitioned to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office and Ministry of Corrections and Legal Aid and requested medical treatment of the prisoner but nobody has responded so far.”

In accordance to the Article 14 of the Georgian Code on Imprisonment “Accused/Convicted has the right to medical service,” and Article 24 of the same Code states that “In case necessary, an accused/convict shall have access medication/medical remedies allowed in 
the establishment for pre-trial detention/deprivation of liberty.”

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