Hunger strike and protest against amnesty bill in Georgia
Hunger strike by prisoners in Georgia
On July 19, in Georgia, family members of some prisoners will hold a protest against the amnesty bill proposed by the ruling party, “Georgian Dream.”
They claim that the government’s proposed amnesty is selective, and their main demand is to make it universal, affecting a quarter of the prison population.
On July 16, information emerged in the media and on social networks that 20 inmates in a Georgian prison in the city of Kutaisi have declared a hunger strike, demanding the amnesty be extended to more people. According to lawyers, the prisoners have been on a hunger strike for four days.
According to the “Amnesty Bill” submitted to Parliament by the ruling party, “Georgian Dream,” the amnesty will affect 10 percent of convicted individuals. Additionally, it will variably impact one-third of prisoners, with their sentences reduced by half, a quarter, or one-sixth. The probation period for seven thousand individuals will be shortened by one year.
Justice Minister Rati Bregadze dismissed the reported number of prisoners on hunger strike as “disinformation aimed at misleading the public.”
However, Bregadze does not provide alternative information about the hunger strike, instead focusing on the opposition and critical media:
“Directly or indirectly encouraging prisoners to go on hunger strike is very wrong. The opposition and media, who claim to uphold humanity, should not need reminding that only dishonorable villains manipulate and play with people’s health and lives,” the minister wrote on Facebook.
The Department of Corrections has yet to make any statements regarding the situation.
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The amnesty bill was introduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party on July 12.
Previously, on February 28, a faction of the opposition had submitted their version of the amnesty bill to parliament, proposing to reduce sentences for almost all prisoners, except those convicted of crimes against minors. However, the parliamentary majority rejected this proposal.
