Georgian President: issue of imprisoned former President Saakashvili “not a very important one” today
She also noted if Saakashvili was diagnosed with any “serious illness” in prison, then “all the measures” should be taken to protect his health. Photo: Presidential Administration
Tweet 
Share
The issue of the imprisoned former President Saakashvili is “not a very important one” today, the President Salome Zourabichvili said in an interview published by Foreign Policy on Thursday.
Zourabichvili said her pardoning Saakashvili - a move she has rejected - would be a matter for “intense polarisation” in Georgia, pointing out that “there is either half of the country that is as adamant on one side and probably more, a majority, against any form of pardon.”
[Former French President] Sarkozy has been sentenced and is under house arrest. And there are many others, [including former Italian Prime Minister Silvio] Berlusconi. So I don’t think it’s a measurement of any form of democracy. And I don’t think that given the very serious issues in and around Georgia today and [in] the region, I don’t think that it’s an actual very serious issue,” the Georgian President said.
She also noted if Saakashvili was diagnosed with any “serious illness” in prison, then “all the measures” should be taken to protect his health.
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, illegal rally dispersal and illegal border crossing.
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili told the Georgian Parliament on Monday she did not plan to consider the issue of pardoning the imprisoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia on Wednesday rejected media reports on the possible poisoning or intoxication of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili in detention as “targeted" and "defamatory”.
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.
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”.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia on Friday said the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili was provided with three meals per day, had a variety of diet fully available for him, and received regular parcels in detention.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria on Wednesday said she was ready to discuss the matter of the health condition of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili with “competent medical representatives” of the Justice Ministry and Penitentiary Service, and called on the state institutions to avoid “delaying” a review of the matter.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has welcomed the proposal by the country’s Justice Ministry to transfer the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili to a civilian clinic for medical examination and treatment on Tuesday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the ruling party would “always” appreciate “any statement” by President Salome Zourabichvili that was “based on national interests”.