Justice Minister dispels opposition’s fears that ex. pres. Saakashvili may face threat in prison hospital
Justice Minister says the rights of prisoner Saakashvili have been protected since the very first day of his arrest on October 1. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Georgian Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze has dismissed the fears of the opposition that ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, would face threats if taken to a prison hospital for treatment instead of a civic one.
Bregadze has told Imedi TV that if Saakashvili will need any treatment he ‘will not face any threat’ at a prison hospital because all of the security measures will be maintained.
Referring to the obstruction of Saakashvili’s transfer to the prison hospital, Bregadze said 'we will take him to the facility No. 18 even on a helicopter if needed'.
When we take a prisoner [elsewhere] we discuss all of the possible scenarios beforehand. We have the full readiness and if anyone dares the response will be really strict”, he said.
Speaking about Saakashvili’s health, Minister Bregadze said an emergency vehicle is patrolling at the penitentiary facility No. 12 round the clock, while the doctors are on duty at his cell to provide medical care on the ground if needed.
Minister Bregadze also noted that Saakashvili has had hundreds of visitors since his arrest and that his health and rights - as a prisoner - have been protected from the very day of the detention.
Denying the charges, Saakashvili remains on a hunger strike demanding to be released. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Ex. president Saakashvili, who faces seven criminal charges including for the illegal crossing of the state border, was detained in Tbilisi a day before the October 2 municipal elections.
Saakashvili has recently announced that he will no longer cooperate with the medical council and will refuse to receive hunger-related treatment because of the Georgian government’s refusal to transfer him to a civil hospital.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze says that ‘all safety and other conditions’ are ensured for former president Mikheil Saakashvili in Rustavi Prison No.12, and, if there is a necessity, the former president will be helicoptered to a clinic.
The Georgian State Security Service (SSS) has stated that the obstruction of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s transfer to the prison hospital is planned following the 29 days of hunger strike since his arrest on October 1.
Lawyers of ex. president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili demand he be treated in a civil hospital and not in prison as his condition is allegedly deteriorating. Saakashvili’s lawyer, Nika Gvaramia, says Saakashvili may be killed during instigated unrest in the prison hospital, which is why it is unacceptable to treat him there.
Former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, has from prison urged opposition MPs to leave their mandates in protest, stating that the Georgian Dream (GD) government fabricated the results of recent municipal elections.
Six civil activists from Free Zone and Shecvale (Change) organisations have been questioned earlier today at Tbilisi City Court regarding an alleged plan to ‘overthrow the government.’ The SSS reported that the activists plotted to obstruct Saakashvili’s transfer to a prison clinic by blocking the roads, which would lead to civil unrest and the ultimate overthrow of the government.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has reiterated her previous claims that she will not pardon arrested ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili. She said Saakashvili, who was arrested a day before the October 2 municipal elections in Tbilisi ‘does not satisfy any criteria of a political prisoner or of a victim of innocence’.
The Georgian opposition led by the United National Movement (UNM) is holding rallies in protest of the results of October 30 municipal election run-offs in Batumi and Rustavi. Claiming that the elections have been ‘stolen’ by the ruling Georgian Dream party, UNM leader Nika Melia, who ran for Tbilisi mayor, said in Batumi that the opposition will hold permanent rallies until ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s release.
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili told the Georgian Parliament on Monday she did not plan to consider the issue of pardoning the imprisoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.