**Man Dies in Prison, Lawyer Claims Abuse by Staff**
A 46-year-old man named Ioseb Gorgadze died on April 4 after being hospitalized for three months. His lawyer claims that he was severely beaten in prison and that the staff are responsible for his injuries.
Gorgadze was transferred from prison to a hospital called Vivamedi in late January with multiple injuries, including about 30 fractures in his face and head. The official cause of death was brain trauma, but his lawyer says this is not the whole story.
**Investigation Opened**
The Special Investigation Service has opened an investigation into Gorgadze’s death, but so far, no one has been charged. The prison service claims that there were no incidents of violence or abuse in the prison where Gorgadze was held, and that he never complained about any mistreatment.
However, the lawyer for Ioseb Gorgadze says this is not true. She claims that her client told her that he was beaten by prison staff, and that she believes this is what caused his injuries. She also says that it’s impossible for him to have gotten these injuries from a fall in the bathroom.
**Backlash**
The prison service has denied any wrongdoing, saying that Gorgadze died due to health problems and not because of any abuse. They are blaming the media for using this “human tragedy” for political purposes.
However, many people in Georgia are skeptical of this claim. Public Defender Levan Ioseliani says that his office has been investigating this case since January, when Gorgadze was transferred to the hospital. He claims that there were no cameras in the prisoner’s cell where he was allegedly beaten.
**A Concerning Trend**
This is not the first time that allegations of abuse by prison staff have surfaced in Georgia. In recent years, there have been several reports of prisoners being mistreated while in custody.
Ioseb Gorgadze’s death has sparked outrage among many Georgians, who are calling for a thorough investigation into his case and an end to what they see as a worrying trend of abuse by prison staff.
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