Georgia's Ministry of Correction: five of hunger-striking prisoners are seriously ill

As stated on July 26 by Archil Talakvadze, Deputy Minister of Correction, Probation and Legal Assistance of Georgia, five of the prisoners who are holding a hunger strike in the prison of Rustavi have serious health problems.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the prisoners began their hunger strike in Prison No. 17 of the city of Rustavi. By the evening of July 23, over 20 prisoners took part in it. By July 25, the number of hunger-strikers in Rustavi reached 31. The prisoners demand revision of their cases; and two of them have sewn up their mouths.

On July 26, on the initiative of the NGO "Penal Reform International", Georgian NGO activists visited the hunger-striking prisoners and said that some of them are seriously ill.

"The hunger strike involves a total of 38 prisoners. It should be noted that among them there are persons suffering from serious diseases, such as stroke, AIDS, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, etc. They demand revision of their cases," the "Georgia Online" quotes the statement of NGO activists.

They have also stated that the hunger-strikers demand to take the surgeries appointed by their attending physicians, as their health is in danger.

According to the above Deputy Minister Archil Talakvadze, the penitentiary medical service had immediately checked the information and found that only five of the protesters have significant health problems.