person designated as a contact person, about his or her imprisonment, about his or her
transfer to another institution and about any serious illness or injury. It should be noted
that during the conversation with the Special Preventive Group, the foreign citizens of
the penitentiary institution N8 stated that they were not aware whether their family
members knew about their detention or not.
The prisoners should have the possibility to regularly get acquainted with the most important segment of the news through the newspapers, periodic or special news publications, radio, lectures or other means that are allowed and controlled by the administration.250 News programmes, newspapers and other informational means are not
accessible to the foreign language speaking prisoners in the languages they understand.
For instance, as explained by the foreign language speaking accused placed in the establishment N8, they are in the informational isolation, since only one entertainment
channel is available on TV in Turkish language, other Turkish and Azerbaijanian channels
are disabled.
According to the European Prison Rules,251 prisoners shall have access to the health services available in the country without discrimination on the grounds of their legal situation. During the conversation with the Special Preventive Group, the convicts of the
penitentiary institution N8 who are not Orthodox noted that in many cases they avoid
meals with meat since they do not know what it is made of. It is important to take into
consideration the needs of representatives of various religions.
Every accused/convict has the right to enjoy the necessary medical service. In case of
need, the treatment means allowed in the penitentiary institutions should be accessible
to the accused/convicts.252 The foreign citizens and the prisoners of the penitentiary
establishments who do not speak Georgian encounter problems related to the accessibility of medical services. For instance, during the visit of the Special Preventive Group
to the establishment N8, the foreign citizen convicts noted that depiste the numerous
requests, they cannot manage to meet the doctor; therefore, they cannot receive adequate medical treatment.
According to the European Prison Rules, Prisoners shall have access to the health services
available in the country without discrimination on the grounds of their legal situation.253
It is specified by the Mandela Rules that prisoners should enjoy the same standards
of health care that are available in the community.254 Foreign nationals and stateless
persons encounter problems regarding their involvement in treatment of Hepatitis C
through Sofosbuvir. Clear example of the above is the case of the convict K.K. placed
250
251
252
253
254
Nelson Mandela Rules, Rule 63.
Rule 22.1.
Imprionment Code of Georgia, Article 24.
European Prison Rules, Rule 40.3.
Nelson Mandela Rules, Rule 24.
NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM (NPM), 2015
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