Trial hearing on release of ex-Pres. Saakashvili on medical grounds postponed

A trial hearing in Tbilisi City Court on granting the release of imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili on medical grounds or postponing the rest of his sentence has been postponed from Friday to Wednesday.

Georgian Public Broadcaster said the delay had allegedly been caused by preparations for ensuring the former President’s online engagement in the hearing. 

The former President, who on Thursday said he intended to attend the hearing about his “life and death”, has been receiving treatment at the Vivamedi civilian clinic in Tbilisi since May, with a judge saying the doctors of the clinic had refused to allow Saakashvili’s presence at the trial. 

The recent health report by Empathy, a Georgian-based rehabilitation centre, which had pointed to more than 20 health issues and raised the potential of “coma and death”, was cited by Saakashvili’s lawyers in their appeal to the court on December 1 to either release Saakashvili or postpone the rest of his sentence. 

Justice Minister Rati Bregadze has stated "all necessary services" had been ensured by Saakashvili since his arrest in October 2021. Photo: Justice Ministry press office.

The Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Tuesday said the former official was engaged in “self-harm”, refusing to follow doctors’ instructions, and eating “only what he wants and when he wants”, expressing his “suspicion” that Saakashvili and his “close entourage” may “not be interested in [actual] recovery [of his health condition]”. 

He also said  the “radical wing” of the domestic opposition was trying to “exert pressure” on the judge to allow Saakashvili’s “illegal release”. 

Saakashvili, a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021 on his clandestine return to Georgia ahead of municipal elections.

The former president is serving a six-year term for abuse of power in two separate cases stemming back to his time in office, while three other cases are pending.