Prison No 8 in Gldani, Tbilisi. (DF Watch.)
TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia wants to make it legal to use pepper spray, batons and dogs in prisons for security reasons.
Today, if a prisoner poses a danger, he may be chained or placed in a restraining jacket.
The government has drafted a bill with amendments to the Code of Imprisonment, which makes it legal to use calming chairs, calming beds, rubber batons, tear gas, pepper spray, non-lethal weapons, acoustic means, light-sound equipment for psychological impact, sound equipment, water cannons and dogs, in order to calm prisoners.
The code also defines what means should be used in what type of situation and what rules that apply. Special restraining measures may only be used when other means are not effective.
The bill also suggests improvements conditions and sets a minimum space of four square meters per prisoner. Currently, the minimum is two square meters. To live up to the new requirements, cells will have to be expanded. The number of visits per year will also increase and prisoners will be allowed a longer list approved visitors.
The government also proposes paying compensation to prisoners for doing agricultural work.
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