Ministry of Corrections publicises ex minister’s diagnoses, dismisses poisoning allegations

The Georgian Ministry of Corrections has made public the health condition of ex-Interior Minister Ivane (Vano) Merabishvili’s in response to accusations of Merabishvili’s lawyer, who claims that Merabishvili was poisoned in prison.

Giorgi Chiviashvili, Merabishvili’s lawyer, told Rustavi 2 yesterday that Merabishvili’s health condition is “very complicated” and that he has symptoms of poisoning.

The Ministry of Corrections stated today that they decided to make Merabishvili’s diagnoses public due to the high public interest.

The ministry reported that Merabishvili suffers from vasomotor rhinitis, Horner's syndrome and blepharoconjunctivitis, and the convict has received all necessary medical treatment at the hospitals which were chosen by him.

• Vasomotor rhinitis is inflammation of the membranes inside the nose; Horner's syndrome is a combination of symptoms that arises when a group of nerves called the sympathetic trunk is affected, while blepharoconjunctivitis refers to the irritation and inflammation of eyelids and conjunctiva. 

We categorically deny any signs of intoxication,” the Ministry of Corrections claims.
 

• Merabishvili, one of the most influential figures of the United National Movement, was detained in 2013 for alleged misspending budget funds and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2014 for abuse of power, misspending of budget funds and bribing voters. 
• In September 2016 Merabishvili was further sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for charges related to the beating of opposition lawmaker Valeri Gelashvili in 2005.