Temporary Detention Department

Activities carried out in 2018

1. Infrastructure

In 2018, repair works were carried out in Tsalka, Chkhorotsku and Akhalkalaki Temporary Detention Isolators. Besides the complete renovation, functioning of ventilation and heating systems was improved. At the same time in Tsalka and Akhalkalaki isolators wooden platforms located in cells were replaced with individual safe beds. In Chkhorotsku isolator relevant windows were arranged in all cells.

The repair works were also carried out in Mtskheta isolator, where two additional cells were arranged.

In order to open medical units in 2018, a medical room was additionally arranged in 10 temporary detention isolators, which were equipped with the necessary inventory, this of course included medical inventory as well.

With the support of the UNICEF, in October 2018, the Ministry arranged special infrastructure for juveniles in Rustavi isolator. In particular, one cell and interview room were completely upgraded.

2. Video surveillance system

In 2018, the video surveillance systems were fully upgraded in 6 isolators. The isolators were mainly selected by the high number of detainees. At the same time existing recording devices and cameras were distributed to other isolators. Currently, video recording is conducted in all isolators across the country.

3. Medical service in the isolator

By the beginning of 2018, the medical units were operating in 7 isolators throughout the country.

In 2018, the Ministry of Interior has elaborated a project, which envisaged to increase the number of isolators where the medical units were present. Shortly afterwards, the recruitment of medical personnel for the abovementioned medical points has started. In total, the staff was recruited for 16 isolators (in total, 46 doctors were found all over the country).

The first new medical unit was opened in October, 2018. Currently, in addition to existing ones, medical units are additionally presented in 10 isolators. Accordingly, medical points are already operating in 17 isolators out of 29. The medical service of the detainees in the remaining 12 isolators is still carried out by emergency brigades.

Within the framework of the Council of Europe project, in 2018, the existing and the future medical personnel of temporary detention isolators were retrained on different topics such as - general healthcare in closed institutions, prevention of contagious diseases, mental health and documentation of injuries.

4. Psychological support for juveniles

In 2018 the Ministry of Interior started to provide psychological support for juveniles in isolators. Currently, juveniles placed in Tbilisi Temporary Detention Isolator, are receiving psychological consultation, provided by multidisciplinary team which consists of a psychologist, a doctor-therapist and a narcologist (psychiatrist in case of need). Multidisciplinary team also makes the assessment of needs for individual juveniles and provides crisis intervention.

After leaving the isolator, multidisciplinary team redirects the juvenile to other agencies (LEPL Crime Prevention Center, LEPL Social Service Agency and LEPL Office of Resource Officers of Educational Institutions).

In case of necessity, the team members are carrying out crisis intervention for adults as well.

5. Internal Monitoring Service

An internal monitoring unit is functioning in the Temporary Detention Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, which controls the activities of isolators on a daily basis. The unit works in two main directions:

• planned and unscheduled monitoring visits to the isolators;
• video monitoring.

The number of visits carried out by the unit members has significantly increased in 2018, especially in the direction of unscheduled inspections.

6. Registration database

In 2018, the electronic registration database for the persons placed in the isolator was fully updated. Currently, the information in the database is presented in small details. Any kind of information about a person is fully reflected in the database, from the moment of admission until he/she leaves the facility.

For example, along with the various changes the following important fields have been added to the base:

• Field for complaints;
• Relevant fields for medical personnel;
• Fields about sending the notification to the Prosecutor's Office;
• Different kinds of incidents, such as self-injury, suicide, hunger strike, violation of internal regulation, etc.;
• And one of the most important functionalities, which gives the ability to upload the documentation. It is noteworthy that the documentation, which is produced in the isolator, is fully uploaded in the base, except of the medical documentation, which is accessed only by doctor.

Update of electronic database is a step forward in respect of managing statistical data. Nowadays statistical information is fully available through the renewed system, which is integrated with the special statistical data retrieval program.

7. Amendments to the Legal Acts

In 2018, based on the legal amendment, maintenance period/time of the information which was recorded as the result of a video surveillance of isolators, has increased at least up to 120 hours, instead of existing 24-hours period. Therefore, video recordings cover the full period of detention for each detainee, arrested in accordance with both, administrative or criminal legislation.

In a relevant legal act, a term "newly received body injury" has appeared and been defined. In isolators where medical units do not function yet, the procedure and criteria for notifying the relevant investigation body about the injuries and complaints of detainees, were more clearly defined.

The Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia determined the maximum number of persons who could be placed in each cell of temporary detention isolator across the country. Upon this order the standard of minimum living space 4 m², which is established by the CPT, was fully fulfilled.

In accordance with the recommendations of the Public Defender of Georgia, which existed for at least two years, the Ministry has made a legal amendment and information about body injuries of detainees as well as their claims are sent to the Prosecutors’ Office directly by the medical personnel of the isolators, instead of the head of the isolator as it was prior.

8. Training of personnel

In 2018 the training/retraining course for the staff of the Temporary Detention Isolators was fully renewed. Within this 1-month training program, all employees of Temporary Detention Isolators were already sent to the MIA Academy. In 2018, 10 groups attended the mentioned program (200 employees in total).

The above-mentioned training/retraining course consists of 5 modules: Isolator activity and its legal basis, legal and psychological issues concerning juveniles, human rights, healthcare and physical binding methods.

9. Other activities carried out for the protection of detainees' rights

In relation to the isolators, CPT recommended the Ministry of Interior to offer some kind of activities to persons in administrative custody. While taking into account this recommendation, in 2018, all the temporary detention isolators were supplied with board games (domino and chess) for administrative prisoners.

At the same time, the number of books in the isolators has been increased and nowadays reading literature is available in several languages. Books are also available for persons detained under criminal legislation.

Documents illustrating the rights and obligations of detained persons, which are proceeded to the detainee during admission process, were additionally translated into several languages (in total, right sheets are already available in 8 different languages – Russian, English, Azeri, Armenian, French, German, Arabic and Turkish).

The isolators were provided with the brochures developed especially for the juveniles by UNICEF. The information concerning juveniles’ rights is provided in the easily understandable manner. The brochures refer to the procedural rights of juveniles, including information on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Another important activity that was carried out in 2018 included the inspection of isolators concerning the fire safety norms. During the inspection specific recommendations were issued and currently, significant part of them are already fulfilled.

It is worth mentioning, that in 2018, in the frames of the scheduled inspection, the CPT visited most of the isolators of the Temporary Detention Department and all of them received only positive assessments, which were also reflected in the CPT’s report. Precisely, the Committee gave positive evaluations to the conditions in the isolators, the functioning of the electronic registration database, as well as the quality of the medical service provided by the medical staff of the Department, documentation of injuries and preservation of confidentiality.