Inmates in Rustavi and Kutaisi prisons in eastern and western Georgia have begun hunger strikes, demanding an extension of the planned amnesty to include more offenses.
In Kutaisi prison, the protest began four days ago, with reports indicating that 20 prisoners are participating in the hunger strike. Female convicts have also joined the protest.
At the Rustavi N5 penitentiary institution, a prisoner reported that 50 inmates are currently on hunger strike.
The prisoners are calling for assistance, attention, and an extension of the humanitarian act.
The Georgian Dream ruling faction has presented the amnesty bill in parliament. According to the initiators, the amnesty will apply to criminal offenses committed before July 1, 2024, and includes Article 66 of the Criminal Code.
Additionally, the reduction by 1/6 will also apply to Article 225, which pertains to organizing, leading, or participating in group violence, punishable by six to nine years of imprisonment, and participation in it, punishable by four to six years of imprisonment.
As the Chairman of the Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament, Rati Ionatamishvili noted this week, the amnesty will not apply to persons convicted of murder, drug dealing, sexual crimes, robbery, terrorism, corruption and official crimes, association with the world of thieves, conventional crimes, trafficking, and other serious and especially serious categories of crimes.
“It should be noted separately that the amnesty introduces a special approach to probationers. The reduction of probation by one year will affect approximately 7,000 people, which is a novelty compared to previous amnesty programs.
As for the terms of adoption of the law, it is planned to adopt it in the first reading at an extraordinary session,” Ionatamishvili added.
