Gldani prison scandal

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The Gldani prison scandal was a political scandal in the country of Georgia involving the recorded abuse of inmates in the Georgian prison system. The videos detailed abuse similar to the Abu Ghraib scandal. The scandal was unique in Georgian history in that it was initially shared and discussed on social media, before the story began to appear on Georgia's largely pro-government television channels.[citation needed] Besides the images of stark physical abuse - which included the use of broomsticks and lit cigarettes - the videos displayed abuse perceived as having implications related to homosexuality, which is a largely taboo subject in Georgia's ultra-conservative religious culture.[citation needed]

On 18 September 2012, after days of rumors on social media, Georgian national TV channels began broadcasting several video recordings of torture and rape in in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi.[citation needed] The highly controversial video footage resulted in orchestrated rallies in cities such as Tbilisi, Batumi, Poti, Kutaisi and Gori. Upset by images of graphic prisoner abuse, protestors demanded justice and promised to continue their protests. Later that night Khatuna Kalmakhelidze fired , the Chairman of the Penitentiary Department.[1][failed verification] Several days later, Kalmakhelidze herself resigned.[citation needed]

Background and history[]

Part of Gldani where the prison is located

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.[2] 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 was briefly wanted in connection with the abuse, but was eventually exempted from all criminal liability.[3]

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 thieves in law under threat of being raped if they did not comply.

Reactions[]

Student with sign saying "Revolution of brooms".

Government reaction[]

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[]

An orchestrated protest rally gathered around the Philharmonic Hall on September 18th, where the president was expected to arrive.[citation needed]

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 drew a large number of students who protested the condition of the prison system and the inhumane treatment of prisoners shown in the video. Student groups declared that the 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.[citation needed]

Following the scandal, student protest groups largely forgot about the scandal, and the issue was rarely discussed by the subsequent government.[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ David Chakhua profile Archived 2013-11-05 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Videos of Inmates Abuse, Rape Emerge
  3. ^ Vladimir Bedukadze thanks government for exemption from criminal liability
  4. ^ Video on YouTube
  5. ^ Armenian prisoner among the abused in Georgian Gldani prison
  6. ^ Georgia prison abuse film prompts staff suspension - BBC
  7. ^ Protesters Want Resignation of Some Key Senior Officials - Civil.ge

External links[]

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