OSCE Concerned over Violent Prison Incident in Tbilisi

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht has expressed concern ?about the violent incident? that occurred in Tbilisi?s prison number 5 early on March 27 and called for an independent enquiry into the case, the OSCE press office reported on March 31.

“We regret the death of seven inmates and the injury of a large number of prisoners as well as several servicemen from the Government’s Special Task Forces,” he said.

“We note that different reports on the exact circumstances of the events have been circulated and a lack of clarity exists,” Karel De Gucht added.

“I believe it would be appropriate to set up an independent and public enquiry to investigate the events, including allegations of a disproportionate use of force by government troops which resulted in a large number of victims,” he stated.

The Georgian authorities described the incident as a “prison riot” orchestrated by criminal bosses, both from within and outside the prison, which attempted to trigger a massive jailbreak and ?massive destabilization? in the country.

But some human right groups, as well as opposition parties, have cast doubts about this version and allege that the riot was a spontaneous act of the prisoners to protest against the inhuman treatment exerted against inmates overnight on March 27 by prison officials and, in particular by Bacho Akhalaia, chief of the penitentiary.

The opposition lawmakers demanded that a parliamentary commission be created to probe into the case, but this proposal was rejected by parliamentarians from the ruling National Movement party.

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