Violence in South Ossetian Prison Sparks Outrage

Tskhinvali, South Ossetia (Wikimedia Commons)

Footage allegedly captured in South Ossetia’s Tskhinvali prison and posted to Facebook on October 22 shows several prison guards dragging and beating inmates, rekindling controversy over prison conditions in the disputed territory.

Tskhinvali prisoners have sought improved conditions for years. One statement published to Instagram in 2017 reads, “The prison lacks basic amenities, and it does not provide for lengthy stays, even though some prisoners have had to spend more than ten years here.” Issues such as inadequate medical care and a lack of windows in the cells were among the prisoners’ other complaints. 

Tensions heightened last September, when Minister of Justice Zalina Laliyeva introduced reforms to better align the prisons in South Ossetia with those in Russia. Under the new regulations, relatives could only supply the prisoners with food once a month in the isolation ward, and once every two months in the rest of the prison.

In response, the Tskhinvali prisoners declared a hunger strike on September 27. 

Members of parliament visited the prison within a week, promising new reforms. However, stories quickly surfaced of prisoners receiving beatings from guards for refusing to eat. Lalieva confirmed that force was used in order to make strikers accept food, but denied that any beatings occurred. Igor Naniev, the Minister of Internal Affairs, claimed that force was necessary to maintain “order and discipline.” 

Of the alleged six inmates who were beaten, two required hospitalization. 

Several politicians spoke out against the beatings, though they acknowledged that the allegations were unproven.

Now, in the wake of the leaked footage, South Ossetian parliamentarians have called for the resignation of both Lalieva and Naniev, each of whom has jurisdiction over parts of the prison.

20 of the territory’s 34 members of parliament signed an appeal for a vote of no confidence for the two ministers, and further demanded that the misconduct be thoroughly investigated. However, the speaker of parliament declined the appeal on the basis of improper procedure.

While residents of the South Ossetian region on social media have largely expressed outrage over the treatment of the prisoners, several prominent political figures have come out in support of Lalieva and Naniev. Anatoly Bibilov, the president of the de facto state, has denied that Lalieva was at fault for the incident.

Georgian public defender Nino Lomjaria pointed to the issue as an example of why international human rights organizations must be permitted to “monitor and study the cases of human rights violations in conflict regions.”

The futures of Lalieva and Naniev remain unclear, as the ministers continue their attempt to bring the vote of no confidence to the floor of parliament.