Urgent Appeal

The member of the World Psychiatric Association Section “Torture Psychological Consequences and Persecution”

Every year the RCT /Empathy issued reports about systematic torture and impunity in penal system of Georgia and called for effective changes to local authorities as well as to international organizations.

Due to above mentioned, the program of Centre “Empathy” inside the penal system was stopped by the decision of minister (now former minister) K. Kalmakhelidze in July of 2010 (There were closed rehabilitation centers in women colony, juvenile colony and juvenile pretrial prisons), which caused increasing of torture facts in juvenile pretrial prison and catastrophic increment of mortality in women colony. During the years the group of experts of the Centre “Empathy” participated in the monitoring of penal institutions of Georgia. In years 2009-2010 more than 500 torture victims were identified during the monitoring in the penal system of Georgia. By this reason since 2011 the “Empathy”   experts were limited to provide monitoring in the penal system. Consequently the number of torture cases was increased and methods of torture become crueler in this system.

 The RCT /Empathy is only professional organization in Georgia, which provides documenting of torture facts according to the UN CAT Istanbul Protocol guidelines. Also the RCT/EMPATHY has been providing multi-faceted rehabilitation and legal assistance of torture victims in the range of its capability.

 Ongoing project of The RCT /Empathy is “Multi-faceted rehabilitation of torture victims and fight against impunity, taking in consideration existing hard situation in penal system of Georgia, we suggest it’s necessary to restore independent professional monitoring in Georgian prison system” in the framework of above mentioned program.

We declare that according to the obligatory international standards, torture victims have a right of allegation, documenting, expertise of torture facts and multi-profile rehabilitation. There are a lot of torture victims according to the widespread video records regarding torture and sexual abuse in penal system of Georgia.

http://www.ambebi.ge/politika/61126-gldanis-cikheshi-patimartha-tsamebis-faqtebthan-dakavshirebith-prezidentma-sagangebo-ganckhadeba-gaaketha.html

http://www.interpressnews.ge/ge/

http://www.myvideo.ge/?video_id=1812778

http://www.myvideo.ge/?video_id=1812835

http://www.myvideo.ge/?video_id=1812780

http://www.myvideo.ge/?video_id=1812784

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6a52iv-vw0

http://www.for.ge/view.php?for_id=16463&f_cat=&a_title=arasrulwlovanTa+wameba+(VIDEO)

Based on above we kindly urge you to provide the group of experts of the RCT/EMPATHY with access in penal system of Georgia for implementation of torture monitoring, documenting and crisis intervention program.

The President of RCT/EMPATHY

Dr. Mariam Jishkariani