Four Injured in Prison Hostage Situation

Four people, including two doctors, were injured in an overnight riot and hostage situation, staged by six prison inmates in the western Georgian town of Zugdidi, in the Samegrelo region, according to the Georgian Justice Ministry.

Six prisoners took two doctors and six other inmates hostage late on June 1 and tried to escape; however they agreed to release the hostages and surrender after six-hour talks with officials. Georgian Justice Minister Giorgi Papuashvili was involved in the talks.

However, these talks were preceded by an exchange of gun-fire between the prisoners and the police. This exchange resluted in the injury of two doctors, one prison guard and one of the inmates being held hostage.