US State Department says Georgian Gov’t “responsible” for ex-Pres. Saakashvili’s health
The United States Department of State has told Voice of America that it was “closely monitoring” the health of imprisoned former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Photo: Reuters
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The Georgian Government is responsible for ensuring all basic rights of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, including his right to proper treatment, Voice of America cited the United States Department of State as saying on Monday.
In its comment for the media, the US body said it was “closely monitoring” the treatment of Saakashvili in Georgia.
Georgia’s Justice Minister Rati Bregadze has stressed Saakashvili’s rights are being “fully protected” in detention facilities, from the Rustavi No.12 prison - where he was initially placed - to the hospital of the Gldani No.18 prison - where he was moved in early November last year - as well as the Gori Military Hospital - where he was transferred in late November - and finally at the Vivamedi civilian clinic, where he has been receiving treatment since May 12.
He also said last week the former official was engaged in “self-harm” by eating “what he wants and when he wants, refusing to follow doctors’ instructions”, and expressed his “suspicion” that Saakashvili and his “close entourage” may “not be interested in [actual] recovery [of his health condition]”.
Saakashvili has been receiving treatment in Vivamedi civilian clinic since May 12. Photo: hticenters.com.
A trial hearing at Tbilisi City Court on granting the release of Saakashvili on medical grounds or postponing the rest of his sentence will be held on Wednesday after being postponed from Friday due to technical issues with ensuring his participation via a video link.
A recent health report by Empathy, a Georgian-based rehabilitation centre, which had pointed to more than 20 health issues with Saakashvili and raised the potential of “coma and death”, was cited by the former President’s lawyers in their appeal to the court on December 1 to either release him or postpone the rest of his sentence.
Shalva Khachapuridze, a lawyer of Saakashvili, on Tuesday said the judge had allowed the former President’s participation in the trial hearing remotely, with the defendant awaiting the clinic’s permission for his involvement.
Saakashvili, a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021 on his clandestine return to Georgia ahead of municipal elections.
The former president is serving a six-year term for abuse of power in two separate cases stemming back to his time in office, while three other cases are pending.
Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister Thea Tsulukiani on Sunday urged the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili to “better cooperate” with medical professionals working to ensure his well-being, adding a change in attitude would be “important for his own health”.
A trial hearing in Tbilisi City Court on granting the release of imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili on medical grounds or postponing the rest of his sentence has been postponed from Friday to Wednesday.
Anri Okhanashvili, the Head of the Georgian Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the health and safety of imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili was “in the best interests” of the Government.
The imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili is engaged in “self-harm”, refusing to follow doctors’ instructions, and eating “only what he wants and when he wants”, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze told Imedi TV on Tuesday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Government was “not only aware” of its responsibility in relation to developments around the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, but also acting in accordance with the duty.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said it was “important” that the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili cooperated with the medical staff and the domestic penitentiary system, in his remarks over the latest developments around the former official’s health and sentence.
The Georgian Justice Ministry on Wednesday said it was being “completely open and transparent” over questions related to imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, as the latter announced his latest hunger strike and accused the body of violation of his rights of featuring in a trial hearing on granting him release or sentence postponement on medical grounds.