ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA 2013 on hunger strike requesting that the Parliament of Georgia amend the Criminal Code. By the end of November, they were paid a visit by an official from the administration of the Institution No. 6 who asked them to follow him to the administrative building. According to the prisoners, on their way to the administrative building, they were joined by other officials from the prison administration who handcuffed them by using force. D.O. and N.B. stated that the prison officials were deliberately pressing them on injured body areas with their hands (squeezing their upper limbs where the prisoners had self-inflicted injuries) and hitting them in their heads and backs. According to the prisoners, the prison officials brought them to the administrative building where they continued verbally and physically insulting them. N.B. stated that he was verbally and physically insulted also by the Prison Director. The Office of the Public Defender forwarded these prisoners’ explanations to the Chief Prosecution Office for their response. However, a reply received from the Prosecution Office suggests that they are investigating alleged storage by D.O. and N.B. of a prohibited item but no separate investigation has started in regard to ill-treatment of these prisoners. The case of A.B. On 6 December 2013, A.B., a convicted prisoner, addressed the Public Defender for assistance. According to the prisoner, his transfer to the Penitentiary Institution No. 17 was scheduled on 25 September 2013. But that day he felt unwell, of which he informed the guard before they got into a vehicle. However, he was told that he would be provided assistance if needed. On the way to the institution, the prisoner felt worse and asked for medical assistance but the guard told him he could only get assistance after arrival at the place of destination. According to A.B., he then fainted. After he came around, he injured himself using a piece of tinplate he found in the car protesting against the guard’s refusal to provide medical assistance. According to the prisoner, he was brought into the yard of the Penitentiary Department where, acting out of heat of passion, he injured himself again and verbally insulted the physicians who came out to assist him. The prisoner was then handcuffed, driven out of the vehicle and put down on the ground. About twenty officials of the Penitentiary Department started beating him with their feet. The prisoner stated that these individuals stopped beating him only after a person unknown to him arrived at the scene and ordered his transfer to the Penitentiary Institution No. 6. According to A.B., on the way from the Penitentiary Department to the Institution No. 6, the penitentiary officials continued to verbally insult him. The Office of the Public Defender forwarded the prisoner’s explanations to the Chief Prosecution Office for their response. With their Letter No. 13/7629 dated 7 February 2014, the Prosecution Office informed us that the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Corrections opened investigation into alleged storage and carriage of a prohibited item by Prisoner A.B. but it was terminated due to lack of elements of crime under the Criminal Code of Georgia. The case concerning I.M. On 11 April 2013, trustees of the Public Defender met with and talked to I.M., a convicted prisoner in the Penitentiary Institution No. 7. According to the prisoner, on 5 April 2013, he had been brought from Institution No. 6 to the Institution No. 7 where, on entry, he was verbally insulted and threatened by the Institution’s Deputy Director. According to I.M. he was accommodated in Cell No. 7 where he was subjected to menace and physical abuse. In protest, he injured himself. About three hours later, he was transferred to a civilian hospital where his wounds were treated. He was then brought back to the Institution No. 7. On arrival, he was questioned by a prison security official and the Director of the Institution. They wanted to know the reasons of why he inflicted injuries to self. The prisoner told them about the physical insults and threats he was subjected to. If he were brought into the institution again, he said, he was determined to injure or even kill himself. According to the prisoner, this time he was accommodated in Cell No. 3 where he was in a company of prison security officials all night long guarding him from injuring himself again. In the morning, he was again visited by Deputy Director named “Gia” who again threatened him saying “this is where you die”. The prisoner says he had nothing to do but injure himself, in particular, his legs, again. Having done that, he was verbally insulted and threatened by the Director saying he would “spoil” him. The Director also said he would punish other prisoners for his NPM Report 4