Tbilisi, Georgia - On 5 January 2008 Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) deployed its observers to eight preliminary detention facilities throughout the country to monitor voting by preliminary detainees registered in these facilities. According to Georgia’s legislation, preliminary detainees (as opposed to convicts) have the right to vote. The legislation also stipulates that in order to cast their votes they are required to present their ID cards or passports to the precinct election commission representatives like all other voters. TI Georgia’s monitors conducted monitoring in all eight prisons (including the prison hospital in Tbilisi), which had preliminary detainees. These were: Prisons No. 1 and 5 in Krtsanisi District (Tbilisi), the Prison Hospital in Krtsanisi District (Tbilisi), Prison No. 8 in Gldani District (Tbilisi), the Women’s Colony in Isani District (Tbilisi), Prison No. 4 in Zugdidi District (Samegrelo region), Prison No. 3 in Khelvachauri District (Ajara region), and Prison No. 2 in Kutaisi District (Imereti region).
