According to Darejan Sulashvili, the lawyer representing Giorgi Davitadze, six inmates at Penitentiary Establishment No. 6 in Rustavi have gone on a hunger strike in solidarity with him. She stated that this information was relayed to her by the convict himself.
“According to Giorgi, after footage aired on the Rustavi 2 television channel showing him shooting toward a police officer, an uproar broke out in the prison. The prison was literally buzzing… Everyone demanded outdoor recreation… A protest was voiced, and I do not rule out at all that this very protest became the pretext for the actions the penitentiary service is taking today. About six inmates are on a hunger strike in solidarity with Giorgi,” Sulashvili stated.
Today, October 5, Giorgi Davitadze was visited by Sopho Khorguani, a member of the Parliament of Georgia from the opposition party “Gakharia For Georgia.” She also confirmed that several inmates had launched a hunger strike.
“Several inmates have declared a hunger strike. I simply want to ask them to stop. The struggle for one’s rights must certainly continue through legal means, but your physical health is paramount,” Khorguani stated.
The Special Penitentiary Service does not confirm reports of the inmates’ hunger strike.
As a reminder, convict Giorgi Davitadze claims he was subjected to sexual abuse by prison escorts. He stated this during a hearing at the Court of Appeals. According to him, the incident was recorded on CCTV cameras, and ten people were inside the de-escalation cell at that moment.
The Special Penitentiary Service categorically denies the accusations. The agency released video footage, explaining that during the transfer to the de-escalation cell, the convict was subject to a mandatory search, which Davitadze “categorically refused and began insulting facility staff.” According to the service, “only after this, in carrying out their assigned duties, facility staff conducted a compulsory search of the convict using a handheld metal detector.”
Davitadze’s family, however, maintains that the released video footage is incomplete, claiming they personally saw five files with a total duration of approximately 20 minutes.