Drug boss says prison system treats him cruelly out of ‘embarrassment’ over his crimes

Gangland leader George Marrogi says he is being treated in a cruel and inhumane way in jail after embarrassing the prison system by running a drug empire while behind bars.

Marrogi appeared in the Supreme Court via a videolink on Friday to claim his human rights were being breached by the “inhumane and degrading” treatment he received at Barwon Prison during 2023 and 2025.

The court heard Marrogi has been separated from mainstream prisoners for nine years and this was having a significant impact on his mental health.

“I generally spend around 23 hours per day in my cell,” the former drug boss wrote in court documents.

Marrogi is serving a 38-year sentence for murder and drug smuggling, and has been deemed one of the state’s most dangerous and high-risk prisoners.

Barrister Sarala Fitzgerald, SC, said authorities’ classification of her client meant he spent long periods unable to have face-to-face contact with others, including a Jewish chaplain who had to sit on a seat outside Marrogi’s cell and speak with him though the trap door.

As a result of his segregation, Marrogi spent much of the time with his ear pressed against his cell door, attempting to hear and decipher the “motives” of prison staff, Fitzgerald said.

She also noted allegations her client had been left unclothed in his cell, was subjected to non-compliant strip searches, went on hunger strikes without a visit from the prison governor and suffered sleep deprivation.

During the times Marrogi was allowed contact with other inmates in his segregation unit, they had only been permitted to do crosswords together, Fitzgerald said.

“He’s become obsessed and fixated with the movement of all prison staff,” she said.

“Marrogi says some nights he doesn’t’s sleep at all. He claims prison authorities are attempting to unravel him.”

The court heard Marrogi believes his treatment was occurring because prison authorities were “embarrassed” he had run his drug trafficking operation from inside Barwon using the prison phone system.

Marrogi has sued Victoria’s Department of Justice and Community Safety in a bid to improve prison conditions, including greater access to open air and more freedom while in custody.

Last month, Marrogi won part of his Supreme Court battle against the Victorian government over his treatment behind bars, which the convicted murderer compared to conditions endured by late South African president Nelson Mandela.

At the time, it was flagged that Marrogi’s landmark win about access to “open air” could force the state to redesign parts of the maximum security units where he is currently being housed.

On Friday, Liam Brown, SC, for Corrections Victoria, said the prison had considered moving Marrogi into the mainstream prison in 2019 and 2022, but he either declined to attend meetings or lit fires in his cells.

Despite this, Brown said, Marrogi’s handcuff regime was reduced and his privileges increased by late 2024.

But in September 2025, a “serious security incident” occurred and a new risk assessment was conducted.

The case before Justice Claire Harris continues.

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