Bill on open-type prison drafted in Georgia

The Georgian MPs have been presented a new bill, under which the country will have an open-type correction facility. As stated by Khatuna Kalmakhelidze, Minister for Correction, Probation and Legal Assistance of Georgia, it would be "a prison without bars."

According to her story, the new facility will have no limits for communication of inmates with each other; they will move freely around the territory. Some of them, depending on the verdict, will be free to leave the facility for the weekend with a special wrist bracelet and spend time with their families, the "News-Georgia" reports.

As reported by Ms Kalmakhelidze, the open-type-facility will implement a variety of programmes, including employment at enterprises located inside the prison. The minister said that "the construction of this type of facilities will begin after adoption of the special law."

The bill has been drafted within the reform of the Georgian penitentiary system.

On December 5, Khatuna Kalmakhelidze also said at a briefing that the amendments made in the Criminal Code and the Law on Probation would simplify the process of removing the conditional imprisonment and cancellation of criminal record. To this end, the National Bureau for Probation will set up a permanent commission, the "Georgia-Online" reports.