Human rights activists protest against violent suppression of revolt in Rustavi colony

Anna Dolidze, chairman of the Georgian nongovernmental organization "Association of the Young Lawyers" was denied admission into Rustavi First Colony where the attempt of revolt was undertaken on the night of January 30, 2006.

An order of the President of Georgia, Michael Saakashvili, dated August 3, 2004, provides Anna Dolidze the right to visit places of imprisonment at any time in order to monitor prisoners' rights and prepare reports on the issue. The refusal of the prison administration to admit Dolidze on the territory of the colony was determined by the Association as "an obvious noncompliance with the order of the President," as reported by "News-Georgia".

The Association has addressed the Minister of Justice of Georgia George Kavtaradze and the General public prosecutor Zurab Adeishvili with the request to provide the lawful free access of all authorized persons on the territory of the colony.

The Georgian nongovernmental organization "Center for human rights and fair treatment of prisoners" has protested the measures that were undertaken to suppress the revolt in Rustavi First Colony on the night of January 30, 2006. The organization has sent letters to EU, the United Nations, the human rights organizations "Penal Reform International" and "Amnesty International" asking them to begin monitoring the penal system of Georgia. This was announced by George Lagidze, the head of the organization, at a press conference on January 31, 2006. According to Lagidze, the Georgian prisoners are subjected to inhumane treatment and conditions by penal system authorities.