On July 15, 2014, an inmate from correctional facility N8 Shavleg Gurgenidze reported possible crime to GYLA’s lawyer. The report about problem of the so-called prison Makurebeli (an influential prisoner overseeing activities of other inmates) in the correctional facility N8 requires further action in a timely manner.

 

In his statement to GYLA Shavleg Gurgenidze has indicated two persons in Building A of the facility, who have been sentenced to life imprisonment and are possibly acting as Makurebelis. Shalva Gurgenidze explains that these persons named “Temuri and Otari (one of them has a surname of Lolua) are pressuring other inmates.” “Temuri and Otari enjoy free movement on the territory of the facility, demanding that other inmates buy them phone cards, cigarettes and other goods. If an inmate refuses to follow their orders, under instructions of Otari and/or Temuri he is transferred to a different building.” Shalva Gurgenidze notes that he was forced several times to follow their orders. He explains that these persons are protected by deputy director on security matters, some Ilo.

 

In the very same statement Shalva Gurgenidze notes that “if a prisoner requests seeing a doctor and calls personnel, convicts Otari or/and Temuri start swearing at him, crying at him and later they instruct prison personnel to transfer the convict to another building. Prison personnel follow [their instructions] and transfer the convict to another building.”

These facts require an immediate probe. No prisoner in a correctional facility should be allowed to have influence on other inmates and interfere with the work of the prison administration, especially if it violates rights of other inmates. GYLA urges the Office of Chief Prosecutor and the Ministry of Corrections of Georgia to examine these reports within their respective competences and if these reports are proven to be true, take adequate measures of liability against all persons concerned.