Justice Ministry releases statement on death of inmate

The Special Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia has released a statement on death of an individual at a Tbilisi penitentiary facility on Monday, reporting the latter's "continued refusal" for medical aid.

The agency said Giorgi Pasieishvili, born in 1983, had died after displaying sleep apnoea and gasping at a therapeutic section of the Gudushauri Clinic in the capital, following health issues since his arrest earlier in the year.

Arrested in July and moved to a penitentiary facility in August, Pasieishvili claimed his innocence on charges - which were not disclosed by the Justice Ministry in their statement - and was hospitalised "five times" from the detention facility, the Penitentiary Service said.

The accused went on hunger strike shortly after he was placed in the facility and refused medicine provided for him, along with denying care from professionals, the Service claimed.

Medical diagnosis for his conditions included liver complications, thrombocytopenia and hypoglycemia.

The release of the state agency said Pasieishvili had joined the Suicide Prevention Programme after being taken to the Gudushauri Clinic on December 5, however refused to enter the Clinic in a subsequent visit on December 8.

Following two more visits to the Clinic on December 14 and December 15, the accused died at the medical institution on Monday.