Ruling party MPs visit ex-Pres. Saakashvili in prison, say if needed he will be transferred to civil hospital
Mikheil Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after a clandestine return from eight years in political exile. He denies all charges and considers himself a ‘political prisoner.’ Photo: IPN.
Tweet 
Share
Vice speaker of the Parliament and former health minister of Georgia, David Sergeenko, member of the Parliament Mikheil Sarjveladze, and the chairman of the Health Committee Dimitri Khundadze visited former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili in prison yesterday.
Ruling party MPs stated that Saakashvili’s health ‘is not catastrophic, but constant health monitoring is necessary’. They also said that the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia will agree to transfer Saakashvili to a civil hospital if needed.
Ruling party members called on the United National Movement and other opposition parties to refrain from speculations regarding Saakashvili’s health.
Sarjveladze noted that the best outcome would be that Saakashvili stop the hunger strike.
Dimitri Khundadze said only doctors are competent to decide to transfer Saakashvili to a civilian clinic.
Saakashvili will be provided with all kinds of medical care and, if needed, he will be transferred to a civil clinic”, said Khundadze.
Yesterday evening Saakashvili lost consciousness during a meeting with his lawyers, though intensive care doctors assisted him immediately and soon his health stabilized.
Doctor Guliko Kiliptari stated that laboratory tests were done to determine the cause.
Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after a clandestine return from eight years in political exile. He denies all charges and considers himself a ‘political prisoner.’
The former president, who was serving his sentence in Rustavi Prison No.12, was transferred to Gldani prison hospital on November 8 to ‘prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the penitentiary service reported.
Saakashvili released a letter from the prison hospital on November 11 saying that he is ready to call off his hunger strike if brought to a civil clinic for rehabilitation.
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.
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.
The Union of Georgian Medical Associations has demanded imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili be transferred to a civil hospital in order to ‘save his life.’
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.'
Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s personal doctor Nikoloz Kipshidze says that it may take several months for the imprisoned ex-president to fully recover. Following a visit to Gori military hospital yesterday evening, Kipshidze said that Saakashvili feels weak, but that his blood pressure is within normal bounds.