The NGO GYLA (Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association) demands that the authorities provide prisoners with proper medical care and protect their physical health. The organization released a statement in connection with the deteriorating health of Elene Khoshtaria.
The NGO stated that it considers Khoshtaria a political prisoner and believes that the justice system was used against her for the purpose of political retaliation. It also recalled that on June 17, 2026, it became known that the health of the “Droa!” leader had significantly deteriorated in detention.
GYLA states that the penitentiary system is obligated to provide prisoners with medical care of the same quality and to the same extent as that available to citizens at liberty.
The organization noted that if an institution’s medical resources are insufficient to treat convicts, the state is obliged to transfer them to a specialized clinic in a timely manner and ensure adequate treatment—otherwise, this could be regarded as a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
“Refusal to provide adequate treatment or the provision of inadequate medical care will result in a violation by the state of its obligations under Article 3 of the Convention,” the GYLA statement reads.
