16:00, 24 December 2012

Over 50 Russian citizens are kept in Georgian prisons

According to experts, today some 56-58 Russians are serving their terms in Georgian prisons. At least six of them are political prisoners, asserts Besik Pipiya, the head of the Tbilisi representative office of the RIA "Novosti".

According to the NGO named "Earth Is Our Home", the penitentiary system of Georgia keeps 58 citizens of the Russian Federation. This was stated by the lawyer Ana Zhgenti, a member of the NGO, at a press conference in Tbilisi, at the international press centre of the RIA "Novosti" on December 13.

"We'll run a permanent monitoring – on how they are treated and on their health condition; we'll also consult them on matters of extradition and other rules and laws that protect their rights," said the lawyer.

Besik Pipiya believes that the number of inmates is somewhat less than Ms Zhgenti's figure – 56 prisoners, 10 of whom are women. At least 6 inmates are ranked by human rights organizations as political prisoners, Pipiya said at a briefing on December 5, the GHN agency reports.

Author: Edita Badasyan

Source: CK correspondent