ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA 2013 HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT: SPECIAL CATEGORIES QQ Juvenile prisoners During the reporting period, within the National Preventing Mechanism activities, we conducted a special (thematic) monitoring at juveniles’ pretrial detention facilities and institutions for sentenced juveniles. The monitoring showed the conditions of juveniles at the Penitentiary Institution No. 8 are not satisfactory. It turned out that juveniles have contact with adult prisoners. In particular, this opportunity emerges either when the prisoners are transferred to the court or during their visits to the dentist when they have to go to the medical unit. Other problems are related to medical services, nutrition, and day planning. For detailed information on the monitoring results, please see the chapter concerning children’s rights. Women prisoners Women prisoners are allocated in the Penitentiary Institution No. 5. There were 906 women prisoners at the Institution No. 5 by January 2013 and only 242 women prisoners by the end of the same year. We welcome the increasing practice of early release (parole) of women prisoners, which fits well into the requirement under Rule 63 of the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules).82 We positively evaluate also the fact that during the reporting period the inmates in the Institution No. 5 had the opportunity to enroll in various training courses, attend cultural events and access legal and psychological advice. The general situation in the Institution No. 5 is satisfactory. However, a number of problems remain unresolved. There were 63 occurrences of hunger strike in the period of 1 January – 31 December 2013. A total of 141 inmates of the Institution announced hunger strike. Their protest was based on their claims related to medical services, revision of convicting judgments and fairness of early release practices. 10 attempts of suicide occurred in the Institution No. 5 during the reporting period. Pursuant to information provided by the Institution’s administration, 421 inmates were transferred to various medical establishments during the year of 2013. The Institution has two medical rooms, a shock room and a gynecologist’s room. 4 cells are allocated for TB-infected prisoners. It is locally possible to take samples for TB and HIV/ AIDS testing. The Institution’s Division for Mothers and Children has 12 rooms and 1 children’s entertainment room. Since women prisoners are a special category of prisoners having special needs, these needs must be constantly assessed and handled through appropriate programmes. The best interests of children being in the Institution must be taken due account of. There should be gender-specific mental health and rehabilitation programmes.83 Women prisoners’ contact with the outside world should be facilitated to the highest possible extent.84 In this regard, it must be noted that women prisoners should be able to exercise the right to conjugal visits on equal basis with men. This issue is dealt with in detail in a chapter on conjugal visits. Accused persons remanded to detention Accused persons remanded to detention are a category of prisoners who are the most vulnerable to torture and ill-treatment.85 Accordingly, for the purpose of preventing and combating torture, remand prisoners should be paid a special attention. Pursuant to official data provided by the Ministry of Corrections, 1,403 accused persons with bodily injuries were 82 United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), 21 December 2010, Rule 63. 83 United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), 21 December 2010, Rule 12. 84 Ibid. Rules 26 – 28. 85 6th General Report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, 1995, par. 15. NPM Report 40