Amnesty International ‘condemns attacks’ on Georgian public advocate
Amnesty International says that the Georgian government should respect the work of the country’s public advocate. Photo: Amnesty International.
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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.
Attacks against the Georgian Ombudsperson doing their human rights work are unacceptable. The Government should respect not undermine the work of human rights institutions and implement their recommendations to prioritize protection of human life and health.
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) November 18, 2021
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze accused a medical panel invited by public advocate Nino Lomjaria of coming to a ‘fake conclusion’ about the health of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, stating that this may cause legal trouble for Lomjaria.
The medical panel said on November 17 that Saakashvili’s health condition, who has been on hunger strike for 50 days, was ‘critical,’ and that he needs an ‘immediate transfer’ to a multipurpose, well-equipped civil clinic.
When a fake conclusion is made, and if Saakashvili is really brought to a civil clinic in view of that conclusion, where opposition may cause unrest, this will raise the liability of the public advocate,” Kobakhidze said.
The US Department of State and the EU have praised Lomjaria for her efforts in Saakashvili’s health case.
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.
A medical council invited by the Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria who visited the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili on a hunger strike in prison hospital after an episode of fainting, have said that the ex-president should 'immediately' be transferred to a civil clinic. The council of doctors says that Saakashvili's health is 'critical,' and he should be taken to a civil clinic before 'irreversible damage' occurs.
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.
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 Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has become a member of the Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). The Board of Directors manages the organisations' activities and makes decisions regarding its future projects.