2 days ago
Bella Culley could be separated from her baby behind bars in 'traumatic' update
Suspected British drug smuggler Bella May Culley has raised grave concerns from experts who are raising the alarm about her bleak prison conditions.
The 18-year-old, from Billingham, County Durham, is accused of trafficking cannabis into Georgia. If found guilty, she could be looking at life in prison, very far from home.
The teen sobbed in court this week as she claimed she was "forced by torture". Bella said: "I didn't want to do this. I was forced by torture. I just wanted to travel. I study at the university… to become a nurse.
"All I wanted to do was to travel and this happened to me. I'm clean - I had nothing in my blood test. I wanted to make my family proud. Thanks for listening."
Brit gang 'threatened to decapitate' 'drug mule' Bella Culley 'and kill her family'
For now, the British student awaits her fate at the notorious Women's Penitentiary Number Five in Georgia, close to the Russian border. It's understood that Culley, who is pregnant, is sharing a cell with two other inmates in the 'hellhole' jail known for its cramped and dirty conditions.
The teen has claimed she's had no medical care in jail, despite her pregnancy. Her lawyer, Mariam Kublashvili said back in May: "She is pregnant and needs medical care which she complained she wasn't getting – there were no tests or checks or medical examinations done, she told me. She said she asked for a doctor, but the doctor wasn't speaking English and they couldn't understand each other."
And campaigners and lawyers are now warning that Culley's apparent lack of medical care could "raise serious human rights concerns."
Describing reports of Bella being denied medical care as "extremely worrying", Adam Jones, from law firm HD Claims, told the Mirror: "Even while incarcerated, individuals have the right to basic healthcare, and pregnancy care falls firmly within that. Georgia is a signatory to multiple international conventions, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN's Convention Against Torture.
"These establish a minimum standard of care, especially for vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women. Day-to-day, Bella should be receiving routine antenatal check-ups, access to qualified medical professionals, proper nutrition, and immediate care in the event of complications. Denial of such care may breach Article 3 of the ECHR, which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment."
Human rights organisations have long had serious concerns about conditions in prisons in Georgia, particularly regarding healthcare access and the treatment of foreign nationals.
Mr Jones added: "Vulnerable prisoners, especially young women, often face language barriers, limited access to legal support, and difficulty advocating for themselves in an unfamiliar system."
The reported conditions of Women's Penitentiary Number Five make for grim reading. Multiple inmates are said to be squeezed into single cells, in a Soviet-era facility described as being in a state of decay.
Although some improvements have been seen in recent times, thanks to funding, there have been distressing accounts from behind the prison's allegedly grimy walls. One inspection found that prisoners were forced to squat in front of guards, said to be particularly traumatic when they are menstruating.
Meanwhile, a report from the latest inspection of the prison found that new inmates were spending up to two weeks in internal classification cells before being assigned to their block.
According to this report, which followed complaints over hygiene from inmates: "Even though they are legally guaranteed the right to exercise, they are unable to benefit from this right.
"The internal classification cells are located in the C residential building of the facility, and there is no designated outdoor space available for the inmates housed there to get fresh air."
Although improvements in cleanliness were noted, "it was found that the facility frequently does not receive drinking water", with both staff and inmates forced to collect water in containers, which they would then store.
It's clear this is a hostile environment for a young pregnant woman, and it's feared things could get even worse should Culley end up giving birth behind bars.
According to Mr Jones: "If Bella were to give birth while imprisoned, her baby would likely be taken into the care of the state or handed over to relatives, depending on the circumstances and Georgian family law. Immediate separation after birth can have traumatic effects, both psychologically and physically, particularly without proper postnatal care or support systems in place.
"Her case highlights a broader issue: the urgent need for transparent oversight in how prisons handle the care of pregnant women, especially foreign nationals. Without international scrutiny or legal intervention, individuals like Bella risk being left without even the most basic care, simply because of where they are.'
The Mirror also heard from Kirsty Kitchen, Head of Policy at Birth Companions, a charity supporting women who face inequalities and disadvantages during pregnancy.
Ms Kitchen warned that the organisation is "deeply concerned by reports that Bella May Culley has not been receiving appropriate medical care while held in Rustavi's prison number 5."
She told us: "The United Nations' Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners, commonly known as the 'Bangkok Rules', are clear: pregnant women in prison must have access to healthcare that is equivalent to that which would receive in the community, along with a healthy environment, adequate nutrition, fresh water supplies, and regular exercise.
"Yet the most recent inspection of the prison, carried out by the ombudsman of Georgia, found a range of issues with drinking water, proper ventilation, and long waits for medical services to address physical and mental health needs.
"The UN rules also state that pregnant women should not be held in prison pre-trial, and should receive non-custodial sentences wherever possible. On these grounds, the refusal of Bella's application for bail, which would allow her to access maternity care in the community and have the support of her family, is a huge disappointment."
Highlighting what needs to be done next, Ms Kitchen added: "We need to ensure her physical and mental health needs are being met, and work to secure her release from an environment that is clearly not a safe or appropriate place in which to navigate pregnancy."
Bella was first arrested at Tbilisi International Airport on May 11, after being reported missing in Thailand. She has been accused of smuggling drugs into Georgia following her travels in South East Asia. Cannabis was legalised for recreational use in Georgia back in 2018, with limited possession also being decriminalised; however, the selling of cannabis remains illegal.
The Mirror has approached the Georgian Ministry of Justice for comment.
