President Zurabishvili on pardoning ex. pres. Saakashvili: no and never
Although President Salome Zurabishvili says ex-president Mikhei Saakashvvili is not eligible to be pardoned, she said that considering high public and political interest, Saakashvili should be treated as a special prisoner. Photo: Mzia Saganelidze/RFERL
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has reiterated her previous claims that she will not pardon arrested ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.
My position about pardoning ex-president unchanged and unwavering – no and never”, Salome Zurabishvili said at a special news briefing today.
She said Saakashvili, who was arrested a day before the October 2 municipal elections in Tbilisi, ‘does not comply with any criteria of a political prisoner or of an innocent victim'.
He is a convict, who entered the country voluntarily and illegally, aimed to cause destabilisation. Nevertheless, considering high public and political interest, he should be treated as a special prisoner”, President Zurabishvili said.
Salome Zurabishvili said all the measures should be taken to ensure that his deterioration of health not be used for political speculations or destabilisation. This, President Zurabishvili said, requires “as much transparency and timely response as possible’ in case of Saakashvili’s deterioration of health.
Day 34 of a hunger strike. #FreeSaakashvili
— Mikheil Saakashvili (@SaakashviliM) November 3, 2021
Earlier today the Special Penitentiary Service has announced that Saakashvili’s health remains stable and he is under the constant supervision of health professionals.
Opposition politicians and their supporters are holding rallies demanding ex-president Saakashvili’s release from the Rustavi No. 12 penitentiary facility.
Meanwhile, Droa leader Elene Khoshtaria has gone on a hunger strike demanding Saakashvili’s transfer to a civil hospital for treatment.
Today, I started a hunger-strike in the ???????? parliament until @SaakashviliM is transferred to a civic hospital. I’m not his supporter and have been his critic, but the ???????? govt’s treatment of him goes beyond any norm. Unfortunately, we are only left with extreme means of protest.
— Helen Khoshtaria (@Helenkhosh) November 3, 2021
Khoshtaria said although she is neither member of Saakashvili’s party, nor his voter, she is concerned by ‘sadist and cynic revenge’ against him as a citizen of Georgia and the country’s third president.
Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship, faces seven criminal charges including the recent illegal crossing of the state border.
Denying the charges he remains on hunger strike. His lawyers and supporters call on the government of Georgia to allow Saakashvili’s delivery to a civil hospital amid his deteriorated health conditions, but Justice Minister Rati Bregadze suggests a prison hospital is also safe.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MP, Mamuka Mdinaradze, says that he is sure the arrested former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, will feel good on the 41st day on hunger strike and will appear in a funny situation.
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.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia says former president Mikheil Saakashvili has violated the prison regulations by addressing the crowd from a cell earlier today. The penitential service has announced that Saakashvili, who had a bathing day, was isolated in a bathroom when he approached the window of the cell and shouted at the crowd outside the prison.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated that she will never pardon former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili who has been arrested on October 1 in Tbilisi. She noted that the rule of law requires detention of Saakashvili saying that ‘before the law all are equal.’
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who spoke of a wide range of issues at a news briefing earlier today, said that polarisation in Georgia can be overcome only if the parties, both the ruling party and the opposition, ‘return to solve real problems and real challenges’.
Droa opposition party leader, Elene Khoshtaria, has gone on hunger strike in the parliament building of Georgia, demanding the transfer of former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvil, to a civil clinic for treatment.
Several opposition parties and members have criticized Georgian president Salome Zurabishvili for a recent statement that she will never pardon ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.Zurabishvili said yesterday that Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after eight years in political exile, ‘is neither a political prisoner, nor a victim of injustice,’ noting that the former president returned to Georgia to incite unrest.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who is serving a prison term in Rustavi Prison No.12, has said that ‘only the Georgian people’ can release him from prison. Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after returning from eight years in political exile, considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and has reportedly been on a hunger strike for 35 days.
Ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saalashvili, who has been on hunger strike for 35 days in Rustavi Prison No.12, refuses to meet with a medical council claiming it is politicized and demands an alternative commission.
Georgian opera singer Paata Burchuladze has requested the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party let him ‘replace’ the former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili in prison. Burchuladze said that he ‘does not want to be an accomplice in the third president’s murder,’ and asked the GD to let him ‘replace’ Saakashvili in prison.
Georgia's internationally recognised violinist Lisa Batiashvili has addressed an open letter to Salome Zurabishvili, the country's president, asking her to help facilitate admission of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili at a private health clinic, instead of the prison hospital the latter is currently held at.
On the third day of his hunger strike, Georgian opera singer Paata Burchuladze says that losing the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili the public is losing Georgia as well.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has welcomed the decision of the Georgian government to admit former president of the country Mikheil Saakashvili to Gori military hospital, stating that the clinic ‘meets all medical and safety standards.
The Opposition United National Movement (UNM) party is demanding a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stating that she ‘has a historic chance to end the crisis in the country’ by pardoning ex-president Mikheil Saakshvili who is serving a sentence for abuse of power.
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.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has claimed she had “never explicitly refused” to pardon Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former President of the country, telling Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Georgian service this week she “refrain[ed] from commenting on pardons unless I [openly] state my intention to pardon someone”.