Justice minister: “slanderous campaign” over poisoning of ex-pres. Saakashvili “immoral”, “interference” in doctors’ work
Justice minister Rati Bregadze on Tuesday said the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili had been offered to invite “any doctor, from any foreign clinic” to follow his instructions while treatment in Georgia. Photo: justice ministry press office
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Georgia’s justice minister Rati Bregadze on Tuesday called claims about poisoning of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili a “slanderous campaign” and said the allegations were “immoral” and an “interference” in the work of medical professionals working to ensure his health.
Bregadze was responding to the claim made by Saakashvili’s lawyer, and said the imprisoned former official was being provided with care by professionals of the Tbilisi-based Vivamedi clinic. He also said the patient was given food only by his “trusted persons”, including family members.
The minister added his office had applied to the national forensics bureau to assess Saakashvili's health condition and an examination was scheduled, but added the former official had refused a toxicological examination.
Arrested in Tbilisi on his clandestine return to the country ahead of October 2021 municipal elections, Saakashvili has claimed his former 49-day hunger strike and “improper treatment” while in custody have “seriously deteriorated” his health.
Facing several charges, he is currently serving a six-year prison term after he was sentenced in absentia in 2018 on two separate charges of abuse of power.
Saakashvili was transferred from the No. 12 Prison in the city of Rustavi to the civilian clinic Vivamedi in capital Tbilisi in May, following an offer for the transfer from the justice ministry, made after demands on the matter from the former president’s medical team and a part of political opposition.
Thea Tsulukiani, the vice prime minister and former minister of justice of Georgia, on Friday urged president Salome Zourabichvili to refrain from making “any calls” to domestic courts over the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili, saying it could be seen as interference in judicial developments around the former official.
Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Thursday said domestic courts should allow the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakshvili’s transfer abroad for medical treatment if the anticipated report by health professionals studying his condition established ”serious complications”.
Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former president of Georgia, on Monday dismissed claims by his lawyer Valeri Gelbakhiani over his alleged poisoning while in custody, stating he had “never” told any of his lawyers he had suspected poisoning had triggered his current “complicated health”.
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.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the chair of the Georgian parliament's committee on human rights, on Monday said “psychological intolerance” to detention environment was “not a reason” for granting individuals release from prison, pointing out the information made public on diagnoses and health condition of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili was “not enough” to warrant his transfer abroad for treatment.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia on Monday said the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili had refused a toxicological examination offered by the body in November, in response to claims of his lawyers over the former official’s alleged poisoning.
Malkhaz Urtkmelidze, the Head of the Medical Department of Georgia’s Special Penitentiary Service, on Wednesday said the conclusions of a medical study on the condition of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili rejected the possibility of poisoning of the former official.
Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili has lost his appeal for release or postponement of the rest of his sentence on health grounds, with Tbilisi City Court on Monday denying the application in the case that has been surrounded by public debate.