ATLANTA - A civil rights group has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of four Georgia inmates who claim prison guards beat them while they were handcuffed.

The lawsuit filed by the Southern Center for Human Rights on Tuesday claims Miracle Nwakanma, Cornelius Spencer, Eric Towns and Gregory Haines were beaten while handcuffed in August 2010 by officers at Hays State Prison.

It says Nwakanma suffered splintered teeth, a fractured jaw and required oral surgery to repair damage to his face.

The Georgia Department of Corrections did not immediately comment on the complaint.

The alleged abuse prompted prisoners to plan a protest in December seeking better work and living conditions. Georgia prison officials locked down Hays and three other prisons for about a week after learning about the protest.