State Inspector’s Service to investigate alleged attack on ex-pres. Saakashvili following his transfer to prison hospital
Saakashvili stated in his letter that he was cursed at by inmates when transferred to Gldani prison, and that the ‘criminals’ were amused when he approached the building. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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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.’
The body’s investigator Giorgi Mikeladze visited Saakashvili yesterday in the Gldani prison facility, but due to Covid-19 regulations the inquiry did not take place.
Mikeladze reported that the former president agreed to undergo a medical examination, though on the condition of participation by experts of his choosing.
Against numerous calls by doctors, Ombudsman, human rights organizations, hungerstriking Pres @SaakashviliM was forcefully taken by the authorities to penitentiary hospital subjecting him to various threats to his health & physical safety in violation of fundamental human rights
— UNM Georgia (ენმ) (@UNMGeorgia) November 8, 2021
A medical examination is needed to find out if there are any signs of health damage on his body. He agreed to do so,” Mikeladze said.
Saakashvili also consented to request his personal information from the state institutions.
The State Inspector’s Service has already requested to archive footage from Saakashvili’s transfer to Gldani prison hospital from the penitentiary service, for further review by the court.
Saakashvili stated in his letter that he was cursed at by inmates when transferred to Gldani prison, and that the ‘criminals’ were amused when he approached the building.
Mikheil Saakashvili, who reportedly has been on hunger strike for 41 days, was transferred to Gldani No.18 prison hospital ‘to prevent deterioration in health due to increased risks,' the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service reported on November 8.
Day 41 of a hunger strike. #FreeSaakashvili
— Mikheil Saakashvili (@SaakashviliM) November 10, 2021
However, the ex-president’s family members and lawyers said that they were not informed of the decision, calling it ‘abduction.’
Opposition leaders claim that transfer to Gldani hospital poses a great danger considering medical and safety conditions in the facility.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria reported that Saakashvili was fraudulently brought to Gldani hospital, noting that the ex-president thought he would be transferred to a public hospital as the medical council concluded.
Several NGOs, US and EU embassies are calling on the Georgian government to provide proper medical care for the former Georgian president and to transfer him to an ‘alternative medical facility.’
US Ambassador Kelly Degnan and EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell have called on the Georgian government to provide proper medical care for the imprisoned ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. The ambassadors further expressed their support for the Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria, who is frequently criticised by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party members.
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.
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.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has stated that the Gldani No.18 prison hospital, where ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili was transferred earlier today, is not provided with two medical devices - MRT and catheterisation equipment - that were recommended by the medical council.
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.
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.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has refused to answer journalists’ questions about the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) judgement of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s complaint and his transfer to Gldani No. 18 prison hospital on November 8.
The Georgian Special Penitentiary Service has released another video of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, in which Saakashvili is in an emergency vehicle being taken to Gldani Prison No.18 hospital on Monday, on the 39th day of his 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.
The State Inspector's Service of Georgia has launched an investigation into alleged 'inhumane treatment' of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili who is currently in prison. In the course of the investigation, the Inspector's Service has questioned the Rustavi prison employee, who said that he was invited for questioning 'by mistake.'
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia has dismissed allegations by former president Mikheil Saakashvili that he is being denied the right to visitation and that his TV set has been confiscated.Saakashvili is currently undergoing treatment in Gori military hospital after ending a 50-day hunger strike. He was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after returning to Georgia from eight years in political exile.
Georgian majoritarian MPs have put forward a new bill which proposes replacing the State Inspector's Service with Special Investigation and Personal Data Protection services.
The United Nations Human Rights office has called on the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw a bill proposing to replace the State Inspector's Service with two new agencies.
A total of 17 NGOs have called on the Georgian government to ‘stop attacks on independent institutions’ following Georgian majoritarian MPs’ proposal to replace the State Inspector's Service, which investigates alleged offences committed by state officials and law enforcement agencies, with the Special Investigation and Personal Data Protection services.
Ruling Georgian Dream party Head Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that he is not against setting up a parliamentary commission of inquiry to investigate the alleged ‘inhumane treatment’ of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who claims prison staff verbally and physically abused him during the transfer to Gldani prison hospital on November 8.