Inmate Levan Gulua stated in an interview with Info Imereti that the administration of Penitentiary Facility No. 14 in Geguti had subjected him to verbal abuse and psychological pressure. According to him, under conditions of “psychological terror, he sewed his mouth shut,” a form of protest that other convicts also joined.
“I am currently in Facility No. 10; before that, I was at Geguti Facility No. 14. They practically abducted me from there and transferred me to Facility No. 2.
Mamuka Zirakashvili is the director of the Geguti facility, and Tariel Megrelishvili is the head of security. They demanded information from me, verbally abused me, and exerted psychological pressure…
Under conditions of psychological terror, I sewed my mouth shut. I was forced to do it. Other guys sewed their mouths shut alongside me; we resorted to this measure of protest because we simply had no other leverage there.
After that, nothing was drawn up—no protocol, no incident report. On the contrary, they made us remove the stitches. The facility’s surveillance cameras clearly recorded my movements—Mamuka Zirakashvili and his deputies approaching me…
…I approached Giorgi Kikalishvili, an official representing the department. I laid out all this information to him, but instead of taking action, on the ninth day they secretly moved me out of Geguti Facility No. 14 and brought me to Facility No. 2. My personal belongings were only sent to me three days later,” the prisoner said.
The convict insists on meeting with the Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, and demands an investigation. According to him, the Ombudsman merely repeats rehearsed talking points, claiming that they conducted inspections and nothing is happening. “Let him meet with me in person and hear me out. I will brief him on all the details, and let him react if he wants to. I demand a response.”
However, the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia categorically rejects the inmate’s allegations. The agency told the Publika outlet that no pressure had been exerted on the convict and that the incident never took place.