Bella Culley, a 19-year-old British national, is awaiting sentencing in a Georgian prison after being charged with drug smuggling. Eight months pregnant at the time of detention and now 35 weeks pregnant, she was recently transferred to a prison mother and baby unit, leading to improved living conditions. Her family has raised £137,000, which is expected to reduce her sentence to two years, down from a potential 20 years.
Detention and Charges
Bella Culley has been detained in pre-trial detention in Georgia since May. Police discovered 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish in her hold luggage at Tbilisi International Airport. Ms. Culley, 19, is charged with drug smuggling.
Prison Conditions
Ms. Culley was initially held for five months in Rustavi Prison Number Five. During this period, conditions included a hole in the ground serving as a toilet, one hour of fresh air daily, and communal showers twice a week. Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, reported that her daughter boiled pasta in a kettle and toasted bread over a candle flame.
Earlier this month, Ms. Culley was transferred to a prison "mother and baby" unit. In this unit, she is allowed to cook for herself and other women and children, receiving two hours for walking. Her room includes a shower and a toilet. She is also learning Georgian. Ms. Kennedy stated her daughter has been making various meals in the communal kitchen.
Accounts from other inmates describe different conditions. In September, Georgian media published an open letter attributed to Anastasia Zinovkina, a Russian political activist. Ms. Zinovkina, who stated drugs were planted on her, described sanitary conditions as "appalling" and "horrific." Her letter detailed one bar of soap for multiple uses, provided once every three months, and toilet paper provided monthly only to those without money in their prison account. Showers were permitted twice weekly for 15 minutes, with inmates bathing barefoot or using shared slippers, leading to fungal infections.
The Georgian Ministry of Justice stated in May that prison conditions had improved since earlier monitoring reports by the Georgian Public Defender. Under Georgia's penitentiary code, which came into force in January last year, inmates have the right to at least one hour of fresh air daily. The ministry also cited reforms including vocational education, a digital university, and improved healthcare through an online clinic, stating a "human-centered approach" was central to penitentiary reform. The ministry noted that a UN sub-committee on prevention of torture visited the prison in October 2023 and did not express concerns regarding conditions, sanitary issues, or out-of-cell activities. The UN encouraged the Georgian government to make the committee's confidential report public.
Legal Process and Plea Bargaining
Ms. Culley's case has highlighted Georgia's approach to drug-related offenses and its use of plea bargaining. Guram Imnadze, a criminal justice lawyer, stated that nearly 90% of drug-related crimes in Georgia in 2024 were resolved through plea bargaining due to severe potential sentences. Georgian law provides for sentences of up to 20 years or life imprisonment for trafficking large amounts of drugs. Mr. Imnadze indicated that early agreements typically result in reduced sentences and fines. He also noted that Ms. Culley's case coincided with a new interior minister prioritizing drug crimes.
Ms. Culley was warned she could face 20 years in prison. Her family has raised £137,000. This amount is expected to reduce her sentence to two years. She is scheduled for a court hearing on Monday for final sentencing.
Allegations of Coercion
Ms. Culley claimed she had been tortured and forced to carry the drugs. Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, stated that she pleaded guilty to bringing drugs into the country after flying from Thailand via Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. He asserted she was made to do so by individuals who tortured her with a hot iron. Georgian police have initiated a separate criminal investigation into these coercion allegations. Mr. Salakaia stated that when Ms. Culley landed in Tbilisi on May 10, her luggage was flagged, and police charged her despite her attempts to explain that someone was supposed to meet her.
Family Efforts and Legal Provisions
Ms. Kennedy stated the family is working to bring her daughter home. Mr. Salakaia indicated that once an agreement is reached, he would appeal to the President of Georgia for a pardon. He cited a provision in Georgian law for pregnant women, stating that "when a child is born, the mother must be outside until the child is one year old." Ms. Kennedy, who travels between the UK and Georgia, reported that her daughter is interacting well with prison staff and other prisoners, and she has been able to provide baby clothes.