1500 prisoners will be able to vote in Georgia’s election

1 576 prisoners will be entitled to vote Sunday. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Media outlets registered with the Central Election Commission (CEC) will have the right to observe the election in prisons.

1 576 prisoners and detainees are entitled to vote.

The Prison Ministry on Saturday expressed full readiness to conduct the election in the penitentiary system.

According to the ministry, all media outlets who have registered with the CEC will have the right to go into prisons and observe the election process.

They will only have the right to take photos and videos at places allocated for election precincts and must follow the prison code, which allows the taking of pictures and video of prisoners and interviewing them only by obtaining prior consent from the prisoner.

Under Georgian law, people who are in detention and haven’t been sentences yet and all other prisoners who are sentenced to less than five years, are entitled to vote.

Irakli Kakbadze, spokesperson for the ministry, told DF Watch that there are 1 576 of such prisoners, but he doesn’t know how many of them who wish to participate in the election. He said 197 prisoners have said they want to take part in the election, while about 800 who refused and didn’t have IDs, have all received new IDs, regardless of whether they want to participate or not.

“How many will vote in the end, we will know only after the election,” he added.

Ten precincts will be open in different prisons. Also the prison employees will vote at these precincts. But many prison staff will be able to vote at the place they live, as this is the first time prisons are not on high alert during an election.