The director of Rustavi prison has been suspended while allegations against him of abuse are under review. But the general inspection will not fully study the situation in this prison.

The prison in Rustavi, about 20 km south of the capital, started on Wednesday. Prisoners attempted to organize disorder demanding to fire the new director, which they claim threatened to torture and use violence.

Some of the prisoners went on hunger strike with a demand that the minister comes and visits the prison.

For four days relatives and family members have held a vigil outside the prison demanding normal treatment of prisoners and that those who need it are given medicines against AIDS and tuberculosis.

Friday, the prison ministry released a brief statement informing that Levan Aburjania, who was recently appointed as director of Rustavi prison, officially No 16 Facility, has been suspended until an inquest by the general inspection has finished studying the situation in the prison.

The inquest is conducted by a four-person group set up at the general inspection to study complaints by prisoners and their family about the situation in Rustavi prison.

Aburjania, who has been denying the accusations made by prisoners, on Friday told journalists that he has handed in his resignation and will never against work in the prison system.

“I’m humiliated, as I’m vulnerable. Criminals have put me in defense mode. It turns out that they listen to the opinion of criminals,” interpressnews quotes him saying, adding that the post is not important to him.

“It is obvious that employees are unprotected from prisoners. Most assaults were that doctors were coming to my room saying that prisoners were following them, cursing and kicking them. I couldn’t protect them.”

Some of the prisoners ended their hunger strike after the director was suspended, but others continue demanding a postponement of their jail time due to health. Another demand is to fire prison employees that have been implicated in maltreatment in the past.