Penitentiary service releases footage of former pres. Saakashvili eating at Rustavi prison while on hunger strike [VIDEO]
A still from the video posted by the penitentiary body on Saturday. Screenshot from video by Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia.
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The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia has posted a footage and photographs on social media of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili receiving food at the prison facility in the city of Rustavi, amid contradictory claims made by penitentiary and justice officials and opposition figures about the hunger strike and health of the high-profile inmate.
In a move aimed at rejecting claims of worsening health conditions for Saakashvili, as claimed by the former president himself as well as the political opposition holding a rally in his support outside the detention facility, the agency posted a recording of the politician eating at the prison, with the recording bearing the date of November 1.
The Service said it was releasing the footage due to "high public interest" in the matter, also providing photographs allegedly showing types of food supplied to the former president, in a supposed contradiction of claims of the inmate being on hunger strike and only receiving medication in efforts to maintain his health condition.
The footage released by the Special Penitentiary Service with the date of November 1 and entitled "video footage showing inmate Mikheil Saakashvili receiving food":
The release of the photographs and the video follows a series of disagreements and mutual rejection of statements by officials and the opposition figures about Saakashvili's hunger strike, diet and health circumstances.
The prisoner's personal physician Nikoloz Kipshidze told the local press on Friday Saakashvili's health was in a "rather difficult" state, and arguing the politician required examination by a cardiologist, an eye specialist and a larynx professional.
Kipshidze also said he had not seen his patient eat porridge in detention, as claimed by justice minister Rati Bregadze on Friday, adding he was unhappy with the treatment of his patient at the facility and could not see a way forward for successful medical attention while Saakashvili remained at the prison.
A photograph of food products allegedly supplied and received by Saakashvili, posted by the penitentiary body. Photo via Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia.
Further comments were made on Saturday by the deputy head of the medical department of the Special Penitentiary Service, Giorgi Chidrashvili, who said Saakashvili's health condition was "stable", his vitals "within the norm", and the inmate was receiving "necessary nutritional additives".
In a separate statement, Mamuka Mdinaradze, one of the leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party, calling Saakashvili's hunger strike "fake" in a post on social media and calling it "another lie" by the former president.
In response to the contradictory messages between the political players over the matter, Saakashvili on Saturday said he would refuse to take even the necessary medication, aiming to "completely prevent any speculation [about my diet]".
An opposition protest is ongoing outside the No 12 Penitentiary Facility in the city of Rustavi, located outside capital Tbilisi, with demands of moving the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili from the prison to a private clinic due to health reasons.
Georgia's justice minister Rati Bregadze has revealed the nearest hearings of a case against Mikheil Saakashvili could take place at the penitentiary facility in the city of Rustavi where the politician is located, as the United National Movement-led rallies are set to launch outside the prison and in capital Tbilisi on Saturday.
Minister of Justice of Georgia, Rati Bregadze, has alleged the imprisoned former president of the country, Mikheil Saakashvili, eats diet outside "medical designation" in contradiction to his hunger strike, and in contrast to comments by the private physician of the politician.
Georgia's State Security Service has claimed it has identified plans for "assassination" of an opposition figure and blocking of government institutions by organisers of large rallies expected on Saturday in support of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili.
Nika Melia, the chairman of the United National Movement opposition party, has given the government 24 hours to ensure the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili is moved from prison to a private clinic, as law enforcement made arrests at the opposition's rally outside the detention facility in the city of Rustavi on Saturday.
The State Inspector’s Service will study the lawfulness of the photo and video materials about the arrested former president Mikheil Saakashvili receiving food at the No. 12 prison facility in the city of Rustavi after the Special Penitentiary Service has made the footage public.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that his cabinet is ready to cooperate with the opposition in a constructive manner, and if the opposition wants to hold debates, they should be held in the state legislature and not elsewhere. Georgian opposition parties took to the streets after recent municipal elections, demanding the annulment of election results and the release of former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, from prison.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party chairman Irakli Kobakhidze has responded to the opposition’s demand to transfer former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from prison to a private hospital, saying the opposition should avoid ultimatums. Kobakhidze said the government is responsible for peace, and if the opposition ‘attempts to take destructive steps, they will receive the strictest response.’
The Lelo parliamentary opposition party has offered the government to launch negotiations with the opposition ‘immediately’ to prevent further escalation of the political situation and find a way out of the ‘existing crisis.’
Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who reportedly has been on hunger strike for 38 days, has refused to receive hunger-related treatment, including tests, following the release of footage by the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service of him receiving food in Rustavi Prison No.12 on November 6.
Georgian justice minister Rati Bregadze has stated that former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili physically insulted prison staff in Gldani No. 18 facility, where allegedly he was forcibly brought.
Georgia’s State Inspector’s Office, which studies alleged offences committed by law enforcement agencies and officers, has fined the country’s Justice Ministry and the Special Penitentiary Service 2,000 GEL for the release of videos of former president Mikheil Saakashvili in prison.
Tbilisi City Court has annulled the decision of the State Inspector’s Service of Georgia fining the country’s Justice Ministry and the Special Penitentiary Service 2,000 GEL for the release of footage of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili in prison, the Inspector’s Service reports.