Opposition gives gov't 24 hours to move imprisoned former pres. Saakashvili to private clinic
The opposition has announced a large rally in Tbilisi on Monday in case their demand over Saakashvili is not met. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.
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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.
Melia said at the protest the opposition would hold a mass rally on Freedom Square in capital Tbilisi on Monday evening if the ruling party did not ensure the high-profile inmate of the No 12 prison facility was moved to a civilian clinic.
The opposition rally launched in the evening outside the Rustavi facility to demand Saakashvili's admittance in a private clinic instead of the prison's medical centre. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.
The declaration reflects the demand the opposition has made over the recent weeks, alleging neglect from the state institutions watching Saakashvili's health deteriorate due to his hunger strike in prison. Justice and penitentiary officials have countered the claim by making statements on the former president receiving adequate care, and questioning whether he actually is on hunger strike.
The Saturday rally outside the No 12 facility saw at least one arrest made by the police, with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Georgian service reporting the individual to have been removed by the law enforcement for insulting prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili and members of the country's government.
In a separate incident, a man was pronounced dead at the Rustavi Central Hospital after losing consciousness at the rally, with participants of the protest alleging a late response from the ambulance, and the central hospital director telling RFE reporters the individual had died before the arrival of his body at the medical venue.
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.
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.
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.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia has called on citizens and opposition leaders to ‘observe public order’ during a protest rally which will be held today on Freedom Square in the capital of Tbilisi. Opposition leaders announced a mass demonstration in the centre of Tbilisi following the government dismissal of their demand to transfer the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from prison to a private hospital for treatment.
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party has plans to ‘block state buildings and streets and to throw out the members of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) from the cabinets they occupied illegally’ after the recent municipal elections, UNM member Levan Khebeishvili stated earlier today.
A protest rally organised by the largest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), is being held on Freedom Square in central Tbilisi, where UNM head Nika Melia announced a ‘permanent’ protest, calling on supporters to stay on the spot.
Representative of Georgian Public Defender's office Mikheil Gogadze stated that ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who is on a hunger strike for more than a month, has been transferred to Gldani No.18 prison hospital under protest earlier today.