Public Defender visits women’s penitentiary facility, meets detained journalists

Georgia’s Public Defender Levan Ioseliani visited the No. 5 Women’s Special Penitentiary Facility, where he met with female defendants and convicted prisoners, including journalist Eliso Kiladze, media manager Mzia Amaglobeli and Russian activist Anastasia Zinovkina.

Ioseliani received information from female inmates regarding their living conditions and the state of protection of their rights, his office said on Thursday.

 He also met with representatives of the facility’s administration, inspected the prison infrastructure on site, and reviewed the involvement of convicted prisoners in psychosocial, educational and rehabilitation programmes.

During the visit, the Public Defender also toured the mothers and children’s unit operating within the penitentiary institution.

Ioseliani held separate meetings with Kiladze, Amaglobeli and Zinovkina, assessing their accommodation conditions, health status and the situation regarding the protection of their rights.

The Public Defender’s Office noted that the Ombudsman regularly monitors penitentiary institutions across Georgia and oversees the protection of prisoners’ rights.