On 5 October 1993 the trial began in Georgia of 19 people accused of a variety of crimes including murder and terrorism. Their cases had been united into one before the trial, case no. 7493810. Sixteen of the defendants face a possible death sentence if convicted. All allege that they were beaten and ill-treated during interrogation and that confessions were extracted under duress. AI is concerned that their trial may fall short of internationally agreed standards of fairness and that they are being held in crowded and insanitary conditions in pre-trial detention centre no.1 in Tbilisi. Tuberculosis is reportedly rife in this centre and at least one of the defendants has contracted it. Provision of medical care is reported to be inadequate.
