and mediation to resolve disputes with and among prisoners.126 The severity of any punishment shall be proportionate to the offence.127 Collective punishments and corporal punishment, punishment by placing in a dark cell, and all other forms of inhuman or degrading punishment shall be prohibited.128 Disciplinary punishment shall not include a total prohibition on family contact129 Disciplinary action should be carried out in accordance with the rule of law and the Nelson Mandela Rules. It should also be noted that Georgian legislation does not determine which disciplinary sanctions should be imposed on the offender in each case, which gives the leadership of the institution a wide discretion in the selection process of disciplinary punishment and increases the risk of disproportionate penalties. Institution The practice of the Penitentiary Department of the Ministry of Corrections in the application of disciplinary penalties is provided in the table below. Placement in the Solitary Confinement Cells Other Penalties Overall 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 N2 127 143 83 153 210 296 N3 55 85 27 219 82 304 N5 3 1 52 66 55 67 N6 37 16 24 46 61 62 N7 0 0 145 255 145 255 N8 565 556 1058 1616 1623 2172 N9 0 0 3 3 3 3 N11 0 0 5 0 5 0 N12 5 6 7 13 12 19 N14 120 134 4 2 124 136 N15 119 114 131 287 250 401 N16 - 3 - 10 - 13 N17 74 126 239 65 313 191 N18 0 0 48 125 48 125 N19 27 17 14 9 41 26 Total 1132 1194 1840 2870 2972 4064 126 127 128 129 ibid, Rule 56.2. ibid, Rule 60.2. ibid, Rule 60.3 ibid, Rule 60.4 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM (NPM), 2015 81