Georgia lawyer Keti Bekauri demands to hospitalize Tsotne Gamsakhurdiya

On September 11, Ms Bekauri lodged a suit to the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia demanding to investigate the fact of infliction of bodily injuries to her client Tsotne Gamsakhurdiya. She told about it to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Yesterday I met Tsotne Gamsakhurdiya and personally saw numerous injuries of his head, back and left arm. He needs no surgery, but he should be hospitalized; and we demand to transfer him to the city hospital. He had health problems earlier - pains in the back and joints; however, this colony has no inpatient department. This is a violation of Article 121, part two, of the Law of Georgia 'On Prisoners'," said Bekauri.

According to her story, Tsotne Gamsakhurdiya decided to go on hunger strike in protest against intolerable conditions in prison.

"I saw him on September 6 and 7; and he told me about his intention to go on hunger strike. I tried to overpersuade him, but I could not. It's his right. So he went on hunger strike; and he was placed into a dungeon. After the dungeon, when they took him out, he lost consciousness and remained lying on the floor. He doesn't remember how so many injuries appeared on his body, and who beat him, as he was unconscious. That is why, as a lawyer, I demand legal action, an inquiry of the incident and an independent medical examination," she said.

According to Keti Bekauri, such things happened earlier, but in spite of all the facts presented in writing, she received no response from Lasha Bregvadze, the head of the Rustavi Colony No. 17.

She has also reported that she had appealed to the Georgian Ombudsman Giorgi Tugushi. "He accepted my application and is going to visit Tsotne Gamsakhurdiya in near future," said the lawyer.

The administration of the colony was not available for comment.