Chairperson of the Parliament`s Temporary Investigative Commission examining crimes committed by the former United National Movement [UNM] Government between 2003 and 2012, presented the commission`s findings at today’s plenary session in Parliament.

"The investigation commission examined and evaluated the information at its disposal. As a result of this assessment and analysis, the commission established that, as a consequence of the UNM’s implementation of "zero tolerance" criminal policy, torture and inhumane treatment of detainees, prisoners, defendants and convicts within the structures of Georgia`s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the penitentiary system was systematic and systemic between 2004-2012.

This has been stated in numerous decisions of the European Court [ECHR] as well. Torture and inhumane treatment of detainees and prisoners bore a universal character, the actions established by political officials, primarily Mikheil Saakashvili, that have been elevated to the rank of state policy.

These crimes were not the transgressions of individual persons, but rather well-organised terror based on complicity, in which high-ranking officials of various levels participated, which made them a violent regime. Our conclusion describes the surname and name of each participant and each organizer.

Conditions of imprisonment existing in the penitentiary system, living conditions, absence of adequate nutrition and medical care, violations of personal and family life, violations of the right to defense, prohibition of contact with the outside world, prohibition of publicizing facts of violence, etc, taken separately, amounted to torture or inhumane treatment", - said Tea Tsulukiani.