The son of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, Eduard Saakashvili, has released a video address in which he asks the Government of Georgia to transfer the ex-president to a civil hospital, noting that his father ‘is in danger.’
He also stated that he was dismayed by the way his father was treated following his arrest, saying that ‘the humiliation and horrible footage has indelibly imprinted in my memory.’
When my father was arrested, I sincerely thought that he would be given proper conditions, treated with dignity and that his health would not be endangered but what happened happened and we saw what we saw,” Saakashvili said.
He addressed the supporters of the ruling party, stating that he ‘sincerely wants the time to come when society will evaluate the past together, objectively and in a balanced way.’
What is happening now has gone beyond even political justice and turned into very dangerous and ugly retribution. We face either indifference or, in the worse case, premeditated murder,” Eduard Saakashvili says.
Saakashvili, who has been on hunger strike for 46 days, said several days ago that he is ready to stop his hunger strike if he is brought to a multi-profile civil hospital that will provide medical care in the post-hunger strike period.
The ex-president’s decision was preceded by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) interim judgement which urged Saakashvili to call off the hunger strike.
The Union of Georgian Medical Associations demanded the former president’s transfer to a civil clinic to ‘save his life.’
Day 46 of a hunger strike. Mikheil Saakashvili’s health condition is critical and he is not being transferred to the civic hospital. West needs to act. #FreeSaakashvili
— Mikheil Saakashvili (@SaakashviliM) November 15, 2021
Saakashvili, who currently serves his sentence of six years of imprisonment, was forcibly transferred to Gldani prison hospital about a week ago due to the prevention of deterioration in his health.
The State Inspector’s Service investigates the alleged physical assault on Saakashvili following his claims that prison staff verbally and physically abused him.
The former president 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 Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has called on the Georgian government to ‘ensure the full protection of his health,’ adding that the medical council created to monitor the health condition of the ex-president ‘should intensify its work.’