During its visit, the CPT assessed the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons in police custody, including those recently detained in connection with the public demonstrations which had been ongoing in Tbilisi since 29 November 2024. The delegation also examined the conditions in several prison establishments and three psychiatric hospitals, focusing on treatment, living conditions, and the legal safeguards for involuntary hospitalisation.
Up to 28 November 2024, the overwhelming majority of interviewed detained persons who were or had recently been in police custody stated that the police had treated them correctly. By contrast, the CPT was inundated with allegations of ill-treatment when it interviewed numerous persons detained in connection with the demonstrations in Tbilisi on 29 November 2024. Most of the persons interviewed bore visible injuries, some of them severe and having required urgent medical attention. They described what appeared to be a clear pattern of police behaviour during the demonstration: masked and hooded, unidentifiable police officers reportedly made arrests in groups, punching and kicking detained persons indiscriminately all over their bodies, threatening them. Further, the beatings were allegedly carried out repeatedly, by several officers at a time, including whilst the persons had their hands cuffed behind their backs. In nearly all cases, the violence stopped once persons were handed over to non-masked police officers.
The CPT reiterates its long-standing recommendation that steps be taken by the Georgian authorities to ensure that, when apprehending persons, the police use only the force that is absolutely necessary and proportionate. There can never be any justification for any form of violence in respect of persons who have been brought under the control of police officers. The Committee emphasised the urgent need for training in crowd control techniques, and for all masked law enforcement personnel deployed at demonstrations to display visible identification.
The 2018 CPT report addressed the challenge of impunity, highlighting concerns about the effectiveness of investigations into police misconduct. In this context, the recent abolition of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) and the transfer of its functions to the Prosecutor's Office are cause for concern. The establishment of an independent mechanism to investigate allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials has been a long-standing recommendation by the Committee. Abolishing an independent investigation body, rather than strengthening it, appears to be a move in precisely the opposite direction.
The CPT visited Prison No. 1 in Laituri, Prison No. 8, Prison No. 15 in Ksani and the Prison Hospital (Penitentiary Establishment No. 18) in Gldani as well as Prison No. 2 in Kutaisi (to interview newly arrived remand prisoners). The prison system was not generally overcrowded, though localised overcrowding persisted. The Georgian authorities should ensure all prisons remain within set capacities, based on a standard of 4 m2 of living space per prisoner in multi-occupancy cells.
No progress had been made toward closing semi-open prisons (so called "zonas") which continued to suffer from chronic problems such as overcrowding, absence of a proper prisoner allocation policy, inter-prisoner violence, influence of the informal prisoner hierarchy, insufficient activities, and very low staffing. The CPT stressed replacing these establishments with smaller, modular prisons focused on rehabilitation and individualised activities, and with more staff.
The CPT received no allegations of physical ill-treatment of inmates by staff, and instances of inter-prisoner violence were rare in closed-type prisons (Prisons Nos. 1, 2 and 8). By contrast, Prison No. 15, with an open cell regime and low staff presence, experienced more frequent inter-prisoner violence and a persistent informal prisoner hierarchy. The CPT called upon the authorities for stronger measures to prevent such violence and intimidation, especially in semi-open prisons.
The absence of any real progress in the development of prison regimes in Georgia represents a real failure of the authorities. Prisoners typically lacked organised out-of-cell activities, with many locked in their cells up to 23 hours daily - except for those in Prison No. 15. Furthermore, many prisoners were held for months, if not years, in solitary confinement, with very limited human contact, and often under permanent CCTV surveillance. This is not acceptable. The Georgian authorities must develop and introduce purposeful activity programmes for all prisoners, and ensure the full implementation of the risk assessment and individual sentence planning measures as provided by the Penitentiary Code.
Prison healthcare services were generally good, with thorough entry medical screenings and appropriate recording of injuries. However, the provision of mental healthcare remained inadequate, and the approach to prisoners with addiction was limited mainly to detoxification, with insufficient access to maintenance therapy such as MOUD (medication for opioid use disorder).
All the prisons visited were also severely understaffed, lacking custodial staff but also social workers rendering impossible the development of an adequate regime. Management and staff at Prison No. 15 felt compelled to rely on prisoners for certain custodial tasks. The CPT considers this situation totally unacceptable.
The Committee reiterates that all prisoners should have at least one hour per week of visiting time, and that prison visiting facilities be improved to allow, as a rule, for open visits.
The CPT visited the Tbilisi Mental Health Centre (Tbilisi Psychiatric Hospital) and the psychiatric hospitals in Khelvachauri (Batumi Medical Centre) and Kutiri (National Centre of Mental Health in Khoni). No allegations of recent patient ill-treatment by staff were received, and inter-patient violence appeared rare and was appropriately monitored by staff. The Hospital in Kutiri had undergone substantial renovation and offered good conditions, as had the one in Khelvachauri; however, conditions at the Tbilisi Psychiatric Hospital were in urgent need of improvement and could be described as degrading. Patients' living conditions at this Hospital must be significantly improved.
Psychiatric care relied mostly on first-generation antipsychotic drugs, risking side effects. The CPT recommends reducing their use, with a transition to newer-generation medications where necessary. Therapeutic and rehabilitative activities were very limited due, inter alia to staff shortages. More psychologists, occupational therapists, nursing, and auxiliary staff are required to support psychosocial rehabilitation and preparation for autonomy. Patients still generally had to pay for non-emergency somatic healthcare, which may negatively impact assessment and treatment. Further, access to open air and activities should be expanded for all patients, aiming for unrestricted outdoor exercise where possible.
Restraint practices appeared generally proportionate and not excessive, but instances of chemical restraint were not appropriately recorded. The CPT calls for consistent implementation of its standards on means of restraint in all psychiatric establishments.
Very few "civil" patients had a formal involuntary placement order, but many "voluntary" patients were de facto deprived of their liberty, unable to leave locked wards, often subjected to restraint, and denied the legal safeguards for involuntary patients. Urgent steps need to be taken to ensure legal safeguards are upheld. For forensic psychiatric patients, relevant legal provisions were generally complied with. However, measures should be taken for an independent psychiatric expert review during placement review proceedings.
Patients frequently felt obliged to accept treatment, so that their consent could not be considered to be truly informed. For the CPT, all psychiatric patients, voluntary or involuntary, under "civil" or forensic placement, with full or restricted legal capacity, should be enabled to give their free and informed consent to treatment. The Georgian authorities should ensure that an information brochure on patients' rights is systematically issued to all patients (and their families/guardians) upon admission. Contact with the outside world generally appeared satisfactory in practice, especially as regards family visits.
In their response, the Georgian authorities provide information and outline measures taken in response to the recommendations made by the CPT.
- Read the report
- Read the response in English
- Read the 2024 visit newsflash and 2025 visit newsflash
- The CPT and Georgia
