The Special Penitentiary Service refused to deliver Lasha Bughadze’s novel, The Observer (Damkvirvebeli), to inmate Nana Sander. The agency explained the refusal by citing the “ambiguity” of the book’s title and the “unclear nature” of its content.

In a letter sent to the organization Sapari, the Penitentiary Service states that the novel’s title “does not allow for an unambiguous interpretation, especially in relation to a penitentiary institution.” According to the agency’s explanation, “literature of unclear content” that may pose a threat to the prisoner’s safety or the normal functioning of the facility cannot be allowed into the prison. Baia Pataraia, the head of Sapari, states that Nana Sander’s right to receive information has been restricted. Lasha Bughadze, meanwhile, evaluates the Penitentiary Service’s explanation as discriminatory and an attempt at censorship.

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), the refusal to allow the book into the penitentiary facility grossly violates the rights of incarcerated individuals and represents an alarming example of censorship. GYLA points out that an abstract reference to the book’s title cannot justify restricting the right to receive information.

It is worth noting that The Observer is a dystopian novel concerning the nearly half-century rule of a despot in Georgia. In August, the book, along with other publications, was also the target of vandalism at one of the Biblusi bookstore branches.