The Special Penitentiary Service responds to information that some persons placed in penitentiary institutions have been restricted from making phone calls.

The Penitentiary Service released a statement regarding the above, calling the information false.

“The Special Penitentiary Service responds to the false information disseminated by the TV companies Pirveli and Tabula regarding the restriction of phone calls for the accused/convicts (Irakli Nadiradze, Irakli Kerashvili and Guram Mirtskhulava).

The accused during the detention, as well as the convict during the execution of deprivation of liberty, are guaranteed the rights and freedoms recognized by the Constitution of Georgia, international treaties of Georgia, the Penitentiary Code and other legislative and subordinate normative acts of Georgia. Including the right to telephone conversations and correspondence.

All persons indicated in the published statements enjoy the right to telephone conversations without restrictions, in accordance with the rules established by law, once every ten days. The dissemination of false and unverified information related to the restriction of the right to telephone conversations aims to mislead the public and discredit the activities of the Special Penitentiary Service.

It is also worth noting that telephone conversations are carried out at the expense of the accused/convicted person and in order to make a telephone conversation, the accused/convicted person must have the appropriate amount of money on their balance,” the statement.