GD Head ‘not against’ setting up parliamentary commission to investigate alleged 'inhumane treatment' of Saakashvili
Saakashvili claims that prison staff verbally and physically abused him when he was transferred to Gldani prison hospital on November 8, saying ‘[they] dragged me to the ground and hit me several times in the neck.’ Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Ruling Georgian Dream party Head Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that he is not against setting up a parliamentary commission of inquiry to investigate the alleged ‘inhumane treatment’ of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who claims prison staff verbally and physically abused him during the transfer to Gldani prison hospital on November 8.
The former president’s lawyer Giorgi Mshvenieradze stated yesterday that Saakashvili demands from the parliamentary opposition that a temporary commission of inquiry be arranged to look into the matter.
Head of the GD, Irakli Kobakhidze, stated that setting up a commission may be wise, inasmuch as it will establish that ‘there has been no ill-treatment against Saakashvili.’
Kobakhidze emphasised that the GD will discuss whether it will support the establishment of the commission. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
This commission will easily determine the absence of ill-treatment. The time for this is before February, the session will open in February. Before that we will have a discussion and make a decision,” Kobakhidze said.
United National Movement (UNM) party members have stated that they will enter the parliament if an inquiry commission is set up.
The Lelo for Georgia political party supports the initiative, while another opposition party, Girchi, has set conditions for their support of the commission.
We will not take part in the work of the commission of inquiry, but we will not prevent the members of the UNM from creating it if they publicly promise and say that when we need a commission of inquiry, they will support us and secondly stop saying that we are friends of GD,” Girchi MP Iago Khvichia stated.
Former Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia’s party For Georgia states that they will not support the initiative, stating that the ‘GD and UNM are two ends of one stick.’
GD and UNM support each other. It is not right to set up a commission of inquiry in these conditions and our team will not support it,” For Georgia's representative Ana Buchukuri said.
The Georgian State Inspector's Service launched an investigation into the alleged physical assault on Saakashvili on November 18; however, per legislative amendments proposed by the GD at the end of 2021, the state body has been replaced by two new agencies.
Saakashvili, who was undergoing treatment in Gori military hospital following a hunger strike starting the day of his arrest on October 1, was transferred from the hospital back to Rustavi No. 12 prison on December 30.
The former president, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship, is serving a sentence for abuse of power after his clandestine return earlier this year in October from eight years in political exile.