US urges Georgian gov’t to treat Saakashvili ‘fairly and with dignity’
The US Department of State says that they are ‘closely observing’ the treatment of former president Mikheil Saakashvili. Photo: Reuters.
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The US Department of State has urged the Georgian government to treat former president Mikheil Saakashvili who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, ‘fairly and with dignity.’
In a statement released yesterday, the Department of State also ‘strongly urged’ the Georgian government to ensure Saakashvili’s presence at all court hearings for his pending criminal cases, in accordance with the law.
We are closely following the treatment of Saakashvili since his arrest,” said the statement, as Saakashvili has been on hunger strike for 50 days.
The Department of State has praised the oversight work of Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria and her efforts to invite a medical panel ‘to evaluate Saakashvili’s health and to review the state of medical facilities at the prison hospital.’
Imprisoned and on hunger strike, Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili called on the U.S. for help as the former Soviet republic turns away from the pro-Western path he set it on 18 years ago https://t.co/jHVwHXk7zn via @bpolitics
— Mikheil Saakashvili (@SaakashviliM) November 18, 2021
They called on the Georgian authorities to take Lomjaria’s recommendations into account.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze accused a medical panel invited by Lomjaria of coming to a ‘fake conclusion’ about the health of Saakashvili, stating that this may cause legal trouble for Lomjaria.
The medical panel said on November 17 that Saakashvili’s health condition was ‘critical,’ and that he needs an ‘immediate transfer’ to a multipurpose, well-equipped civil clinic.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia refused to take Saakashvili to trial hearings in the cases concerning him ‘due to possible security threats and taking Saakashvili’s health condition into account.’
They said that the opposition activists had plans to cause unrest on the streets while transporting the former president to the court.
Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine and was found guilty of abuse of power in two separate cases in absentia back in 2018, says that he returned after eight years in political exile to remove the Georgian Dream government from power.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze has accused a medical panel invited by public advocate Nino Lomjaria of coming to a ‘fake conclusion’ about the health of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, stating that this may cause legal trouble for Lomjaria.
A medical council composed of eight health experts under Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has presented its conclusion on the health of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, stating that the patient’s condition on the 49th day of his hunger strike is ‘critical,’ and he needs an ‘immediate transfer’ to a multi-profile, well-equipped civilian clinic.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has said that he welcomes Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria's decision to establish a group of medical experts to monitor the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili's health. Lomjaria announced yesterday that she invited a group of medical experts to 'monitor the adequacy and timeliness' of medical services provided to Saakashvili.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has refused online participation in a trial hearing today which concerns his illegal crossing from Ukraine to Georgia at the end of September 2021, Tbilisi City Court judge David Kurtradze said earlier today.
Amnesty International says that attacks against the Georgian public advocate during her human rights work ‘are unacceptable,’ and that the Georgian government should respect the work of human rights institutions.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has commended Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria’s work on the case of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, noting that attempts to undermine or threaten the advocate's office are unacceptable.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has welcomed the decision of the Georgian government to admit former president of the country Mikheil Saakashvili to Gori military hospital, stating that the clinic ‘meets all medical and safety standards.
The former president Mikheil Saakashvili has accepted the Georgian government’s offer to be transferred to Gori military hospital and is ready to stop the 50-day hunger strike after the admittance to the clinic, ex-president’s lawyer Nika Gvaramia announces.
US senators Jim Risch, Jeanne Shaheen, Ron Johnson, and Ben Cardin have said that the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili who is currently serving a prison sentence, 'deserves to be treated fairly and with dignity, in accordance with international standards and Georgian law.'
The Lelo – Partnership for Georgia faction has stopped its boycott of parliament and agreed to attend plenary sessions as arrested former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili was brought to a civil clinic to receive proper medical care after his 50-day hunger strike.