Muslim Prisoners Do Not Get Halal Meat Products

Natia Gogolashvili 

Lawyer-monitors, who monitor the conditions in the prison for female and juvenile prisoners in the frame of the Human Rights Center’s project “Monitoring Conditions of Juvenile and Female Prisoners in Georgian Penitentiary”, stated that one of the problems in the prison is that religious minorities do not get food prepared in accordance to the Halal rule. 

Lawyer of Human Rights Center Nestan Londaridze said muslim prisoners in the penitentiary establishments do not get Halal meat and meat products cooked as it is required by their religious traditions.

Head of the legal department of the Ministry of Corrections Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said they do not permanently sell Halal meat in penitentiary establishments due to low claim for this product. 

“The provider companies are identified and if the accused/convicted persons request, the shops in the penitentiary will receive Halal products,” Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said.

HRC lawyer Nestan Londaridze said she addressed the Ministry of Corrections with this request several times. 

“The Ministry, regardless many petitions, did not provide us with the information. However, apparently they paid attention to this problem. During the recent monitoring in prison # 6, the inmates told us that Halal sausages are already sold in the prison shop though it costs too expensive – 30 GEL per kilo. I would also underline that all products in the prison shops cost very expensive. HRC believes the Ministry shall include Halal meat products in ordinary menu of prisons for Muslim prisoners so that they did not have to pay high price for this product. The same problem was observed in the prison # 5,” Nestan Londaridze said.

Human Rights Center is implementing the project Monitoring Conditions of Juvenile and Female Prisoners in Georgian Penitentiary. In the frame of the project, the monitors visit prison facilities and interview female and juvenile convicts. The project also provides the prisoners with free legal aid.

The article was prepared in the frame of the project – “Monitoring Conditions of Juvenile and Female Prisoners in Georgian Penitentiary”, which is implemented by Human Rights Center with the Bulgarian Development Aid. The views in the article does not necessarily express the views of the donor and it is responsible for the content of the article.