Shevardnadze Blames Reforms for Increased Jailbreaks

(Tbilisi, June 30, 2003, Civil Georgia) – President Shevardnadze said in his Monday radio broadcast on June 30 that hasty reforms of the penitential system had triggered increase of jailbreaks in Georgia.

?The penitential system has separated from the Interior Ministry hastily. Although in several countries this structure returned back, but in our case this is already late,? the President stated.

Shevardnadze?s statement follows the June 27 jailbreak from Tbilisi prison, when eight inmates of Avchala prison disarmed the guard and escaped.

The reform was carried out in 2000-2001 by Mikheil Saakashvili, which was Justice Minister by that time. He is the leader of the leading opposition party National Movement at the moment.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)