Sozar Subari Speaks about Torture of Prisoner

Sozar Subari Speaks about Torture of Prisoner

The incident involving Gocha Fatsuria, a person beaten up at the Department of Prisoners with Tuberculosis, was regarded as torture by Sozar Subari, the Public Defender. On his recommendation the detained person should be moved to the Prison’s Hospital. Gocha Fatsuria, however, is still in Prison #1.

It is the first harsh criticism of the penitentiary system from the side of the Ombudsman since Bacho Akhalaia moved from the Public Defender’s office to the Penitentiary System.

Before getting to the position of Head of the Penitentiary System, Bacho Akhalaia was the Deputy Public Defender. At that period he was known for his critical comments about harassment and torture of prisoners. He was constantly criticizing the former Head of the Penitentiary Shota Kopadze. It is one month since he is holding this position, for this period the Public Defender’s office was silent about the beating of prisoners on hunger strike in the Qsani and Kutaisi prisons. It is the first comment of Sozar Subari about torture of detained persons. He made this comment after visiting Gocha Fatsuria. According to the prisoner he was beaten twice, first at the Department of Prisoners with Tuberculosis and then at Qsani’s second colony.

“I assess these two facts of physical abuse as torture, and it will be difficult for investigation to give it another qualification. His face was injured and he had signs of abuse on the body. I gave recommendation to the prosecutor’s office to investigate this fact and punish the responsible people,” said Sozar Subari.

According to penitential system’s administration Gocha Fatsuria was drunk, he had a handmade knife with him and abused administration members. The family of prisoner categorically refutes this information. Gocha Fatsuria was beaten up in the presence of his sister. According to Tea Fatsuria at first they made her mother leave the room and after that Special Forces members ran into the room and began beating up Gocha. In the presence of his sister and two nieces he was beaten up heavily.

“ He was beaten before my eyes. Then he was moved to another building to an isolation ward. He cannot talk on the phone. At 3 AM somebody called me and said not to worry, that Gocha was alive and  he just could not talk because he was beaten,” said Tea Fatsuria.

The members of the Penitential System Monitoring Council were also interested in the health condition of Gocha Fatsuria. According to them, the prisoner’s condition is very bad and he has to be transported to Prison Hospital. Despite the numerous appeals, the Head of the Penitential System Bacho Akhalaia still refuses to provide him with medical treatment.

Anna Chkhaidze