Public Defender meets arrested former officials, opposition leaders at Rustavi prison

Georgia’s Public Defender, Levan Ioseliani, on Wednesday visited the Rustavi No. 12 semi-open and closed-type penitentiary facility, where he met with several high-profile inmates, including former top officials and opposition leaders, the Public Defender’s Office said. 

During the visit, Ioseliani met with the facility’s administration, inspected inmates’ living conditions, and held meetings with detainees, among them Bacho Akhalaia, Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Grigol Liluashvili, Mikheil Saakashvili, Irakli Garibashvili, and Levan Khabeishvili.

The Public Defender’s Office said such visits were part of its regular monitoring activities aimed at overseeing conditions in penitentiary institutions and ensuring the protection of prisoners’ rights.