According to the Special Penitentiary Service, food is provided to the accused/convicts in the Georgian penitentiary system in accordance with a menu adjusted to their health condition. With this, the agency is responding to the complaints of some prisoners regarding the food in prisons and information published in the media

As stated in the information released by the agency, they actively control the food service and in case of any violation, the service company is subject to sanctions provided for in the contract.

According to the Special Penitentiary Service, the heating system has been turned on in penitentiary institutions, including Gldani Institution No. 8, for more than two weeks.

“We would like to once again respond to the ongoing deliberate disinformation campaign against the Penitentiary Service, as if the food, medical or hygienic conditions in penitentiary institutions do not meet the established standards.

Maximum protection of the rights of each accused/convict and care for their health are one of the main priorities of the Special Penitentiary Service.

Each accused/convict placed in a penitentiary institution is provided with 24-hour medical service in accordance with the medical service standards established in the country in the field of health care, and if the accused/convict cannot be treated in the medical unit of the detention facility, the service is provided to him/her at a medical facility for accused and convicted persons, or at a civil sector hospital.

As of today, no one has been in the queue for scheduled medical referral.

In addition to state healthcare programs, all accused/convicts are provided with any medical services necessary for their health condition, which are fully financed by the state.

Along with medical services, special attention is paid to the observance of sanitary and hygienic conditions.

The relevant personnel of the medical unit of each penitentiary institution, within the scope of their competence, supervise the observance of sanitary and hygienic conditions in the institutions.

The Special Penitentiary Service has signed a relevant service agreement with a company that ensures mandatory disinfectionand deratization works at least twice a year. If necessary, the relevant works are carried out additionally on an unscheduled basis, which are carried out by a person employed by the penitentiary service.

As for the accusations related to food, we note that this is another lie. As a result of the reform carried out in the penitentiary system, each accused/convict is provided with three meals a day.

Nutritionists invited by the Special Penitentiary Service have developed a new standard, seasonal and health-related nutritional ration. A new daily calorie norm (2300-3700 kcal) has been determined. Thus, in food is provided to the accused/convicts in the Georgian penitentiary system in accordance with a menu adjusted to their health condition.

Once again, we call on all interested persons and media outlets to refrain from disseminating unverified and unsubstantiated information, which leads to misleading not only the family members of the accused/convicted, but also the public,” reads the information.