Gldani prison scandal

On 18 September 2012, Georgian national TV channels broadcast several video recordings of torture and rape in Gldani Prison in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. The highly controversial video footage quickly went viral and as a result thousands of protesters joined spontaneous rallies in Tbilisi, Batumi, Poti, Kutaisi and Gori. Shocked by the terror and violence on TV screens, citizens are calling for justice and promise to continue their protests. Later that night Khatuna Kalmakhelidze fired David Chakua, the Chairman of the Penitentiary Department.^[1] Several days later, Kalmakhelidze resigned.

Prehistory and spreading

Reportedly several persons suspected of inhumane treatment of prison inmates have already been detained as investigation of the case unfolds.^[2]

Hours before the video was released, the Georgian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday afternoon that three officials of the Gldani prison were arrested for inhuman treatment of inmates. The ministry also released footage showing two prison guards beating an inmate in a cell. The Interior Ministry has claimed that the arrested prison officials abused inmates and made video records of it in exchange for money in a deal arranged by Tamaz Tamazashvili, an inmate who is serving his jail term in the same prison facility.^[3] Tamaz Tamazashvili is supported by the political party Georgian Dream, which grants him a senior position in the newly created government. They also assert that Tamaz is a political prisoner.

The video evidence of prison torture was leaked to TV channels by a former prison officer Vladimir Bedukadze, who is currently on the wanted list. In his interview to TV-9 Bedukadze claimed that torture of the inmates had been ordered by the Minister of the Interior Bacho Akhalaia and that the Minister of corrections and legal assistance Khatuna Kalmakhelidze was aware of acts of torture in various Georgian prisons.^[2] Khatuna Kalmakhelidze asked for resignation later the same day.

Videos

Prisoners are shown being raped with broom handles and police batons.^[4]

The first video shows ten prison guards conducting physical and verbal abuse on prisoners.

In the second video a man is forced to take off his underpants and do what he was told. He is then insulted and spat upon; During the offence, an attacker makes references to him being a thief in law. In the last part of the video, the man is seen writing something under dictation.

In the third video an Armenian prisoner is shown fettered to a cell rod and cursing Georgian prison officers.^[5] In the same video a masked man is appealing to the torturers not to record a video of him. He is mocked, humiliated and possibly raped. The third part of the video shows a rear view of a man who is repeatedly asked if he was thief in law answers of which were all: "I am a thief in law!".

In the fourth video is shown youth detention center, where inmates were physically abused and forced to insult thief in laws under threat of being raped if they did not comply.

Reactions

Student with sign saying "Revolution of brooms".

Government reaction

Early the next day, president Mikheil Saakashvili made a special statement in which he condemned the actions and said that torturers "deserve the strictest punishment and they will spend many years in prison".^[2]

Saakashvili demanded a complete overhaul of the prison system and commanded Vano Merabishvili to immediately enter all prisons with patrol police. "There must be zero tolerance to any violations of human rights, because we are building a civilised and humane country, rather than discipline based on violence." - he said.^[6]

People's response

A spontaneous protest rally gathered around the Philharmonic Hall, where the president was expected to arrive, in downtown Tbilisi late on 18 September after the first broadcast.

On the next day, protesters reconvened again outside the Philharmonic Hall and marched on Rustaveli Avenue towards the government’s office.^[7]

Student Protests

The news was met with a strong response from Georgian students. The protests have drawn an unprecedented number of students who protested the condition of the prison system and inhuman treatment of prisoners. Students declared that this scandal was not an isolated case and emphasized that this was the fault of the system, which needed to change. The absence of free, impartial media sources and freedom of expression was also a cause of the protests.