NGOs urge Georgian government to transfer Saakashvili to ‘alternative medical facility’
In a joint statement, seven organisations maintain that Saakashvili’s transfer to a prison hospital posed the risk of ‘escalating the political situation’ in the country. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Civil organisations have called on the government of Georgia to transfer the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from Gldani Prison No.18 hospital to an ‘alternative medical institution.
In a joint statement, seven organisations maintain that Saakashvili’s transfer to a prison hospital posed the risk of ‘escalating the political situation’ in the country, and the ‘full responsibility’ for the events rests with the government.
We call on the government to take all the steps necessary to de-escalate the situation. Among them, it is vital that the third President of Georgia would be immediately transferred to an alternative medical institution, where his dignity, life, health, and safety could be adequately ensured, they wrote.
The signatory organisations are:
Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)
Transparency International - Georgia (TI)
Open Society Foundation, OSGF
International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)
The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)
Rights Georgia
Partnership for Human Rights (PHR)
Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after a clandestine return from eight years in political exile. He considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and claims to be on a hunger strike.
The former president, who was serving his sentence in Rustavi Prison No.12, was transferred to Gldani prison hospital last evening to ‘prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the penitentiary service reported.
In a letter released from prison hospital, Saakashvili claimed that the purpose of his transfer was his physical destruction under Russian president Vladimir Putin’s order.
Ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili who was transferred to Gldani prison hospital today, has released the letter from the facility stating that the purpose of the recent activities is his physical destruction under Russian president Vladimir Putin’s order.
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.
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.
Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who reportedly has been on hunger strike for 39 days, has been transferred to Gldani No.18 prison hospital ‘to prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service reports.
The opposition United National Movement (UNM) members and supporters have gathered in front of the parliament building this evening in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi, demanding former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s release from prison. The UNM chairman Nika Melia announced that rallies will be held in several locations of Tbilisi from tomorrow.
The State Inspector’s Service will investigate the alleged physical assault on ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili when he was transferred to Gldani prison hospital on November 8. Saakashvili claims that prison staff verbally and physically abused him, saying ‘[they] dragged me to the ground and hit me several times in the neck.’
Amnesty International has responded to recent developments in Georgia, and accused the Georgian government of carrying out political revenge following former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s transfer to Gldani No. 18 prison hospital, allegedly against his will.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia has released a video which shows the transfer of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from Rustavi prison to the Gldani Prison No.18 hospital on Monday, to prevent complications to his health on the 39th day of hunger strike.
A total of 20 NGOs have addressed the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to observe the human rights situation of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili who has been on hunger strike in prison for 43 days.