Imprisoned former president Saakashvili accuses Justice Ministry of "falsifying" court decisions
Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after his clandestine return to Georgia. Photo: ipn.ge
Tweet 
Share
Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian President currently serving a prison sentence, has accused the Ministry of Justice of "deliberately falsifying" a decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on his appeal.
Saakashvili’s statement came in response to the Justice Ministry’s announcement on Friday that the ECHR had decided to strike the imprisoned politician's application alleging ill-treatment by the Georgian penitentiary system off its list of cases.
The former president maintained the Justice Ministry of "deliberate manipulation with false interpretations," adding the action served to "discredit" the European Court before the Georgian society.
I would like to state that it is categorically unacceptable and inadmissible to instrumentalise the Strasbourg Court to create false opinions in the society,” he added.
Deputy Justice Minister Beka Dzamashvili said on Friday the ECHR had found no “special circumstances” in Saakashvili's application relating to respect for human rights, which would have required the body to continue the examination of the case.
In his application, the former president argued he was ill-treated in the Georgian penitentiary system since his imprisonment last year.
Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after his clandestine return to Georgia. He had been found guilty of abuse of power in two cases in absentia in 2018 and faces additional charges including illegal seizure of property, embezzlement and illegal rally dispersal and illegal border crossing.
The Special Penitentiary Service has denied keeping the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s health records secret, following his transfer to a civilian clinic for medical examinations on Sunday.
The European Court of Human Rights has decided to strike the application of Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili regarding on his treatment by the country’s penitentiary system off its list of cases, Deputy Justice Minister Beka Dzamashvili said on Friday.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze says that former president Mikheil Saakashvili is receiving all necessary medical services in Gldani Prison No.18 hospital, and that the ministry has invited more doctors to monitor Saakashvili while he is on hunger strike and who will give daily updates about the former president’s health condition.
Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili has been detained today, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has announced. "Our law enforcement agencies had prior information about his (Saakashvili’s) movement from Ukraine to Georgia and the process was under the control” Garibashvili stated.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia on Friday said media reports on the alleged deterioration of the health condition of the convicted former president Mikheil Saakashvili and inadequate medical care provided to him in prison were “unfounded” and an “attempt to mislead the public”.
Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili is not a political prisoner and should be held accountable for actions during his presidency, Aleko Elisashvili, the Chairperson of the Citizens opposition party, said on Tuesday.