An altercation broke out outside Penitentiary Facility No. 6 in Rustavi, where family members and relatives of convict Giorgi Davitadze are holding a protest rally, news agency IPN reports.
The clash occurred between supporters of the convict and penitentiary staff. According to those gathered, prison personnel have been riding quad bikes and generating heavy noise, preventing the demonstrators from voicing their demands and shouting to inmates from the street. The protesters are convinced that the facility staff are deliberately making noise with the quad bikes.
“How many times is it [the quad bike] supposed to drive past? Once, twice—how much riding around is enough? Are we not supposed to voice our protest? Did we have to bring brooms here? Don’t you realize you are serving the regime?” the protesters said in outrage.
For their part, penitentiary staff stated that they are not obstructing the protest, are placing no restrictions on its participants, and are merely carrying out their official duties.
“We are conscientiously doing our duty, so calm down,” one officer told a protester.
As a reminder, the protest was triggered by a statement made by convict Giorgi Davitadze before the Tbilisi Court of Appeals. He accused escort guards from Penitentiary Facility No. 6 of rape.
