Ukrainian officials call on Georgian government to provide ‘proper medical care’ for Saakashvili

Ukrainian high officials have called on the government of Georgia to transfer the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from a prison hospital to a private clinic.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has expressed disappointment over the fact that Saakashvili, who is currently a citizen of Ukraine, was transferred to a prison hospital this evening without the Ukrainian side being informed.

• Justice minister claims Saakashvili physically insulted prison staff following his transfer

Ukrainian MFA urged Georgian authorities to transfer Saakashvili to a civil clinic ‘to provide proper medical care.’

The MPs from the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada parliament have appealed to the Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to provide high quality medical care for Saakashvili and extradite him to Ukraine ‘as soon as possible.’

Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Lyudmyla Denisova, who had visited Saakashvili in Rustavi Prison No.12, further urged the Georgian authorities to provide Saakashvili with ‘proper treatment that can save his life.’

• Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner arrives in Georgia to meet Saakashvili in prison

Denisova also asked the international human rights organisations to condemn the actions of the Georgian officials.

Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after a clandestine return from eight years in political exile, considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and claims to be on a hunger strike.

The former president was transferred to Gldani Prison No.18 hospital to ‘prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the penitentiary service reported this evening.