Justice Ministry says “nothing to hide” over Saakashvili as imprisoned ex-Pres. announces hunger strike
The Georgian Justice Ministry on Wednesday said former President Mikheil Saakashvili had been visited by more than 1,500 since his arrest in Tbilisi in October 2021. Photo: Justice Ministry press office
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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.
The hearing was delayed from Wednesday to next week after doctors refused to allow the former official to appear at the court session in person due to his condition, while the Special Penitentiary Service said it lacked proper hardware in the medical facility to ensure Saakashvili’s engagement in the hearing via a video link.
Responding to recent controversies over Saakashvili, Beka Dzamashvili, the Deputy Justice Minister, on Wednesday said both his office and the Service had been “very open and transparent” over matters related to Saakashvili since his arrest in Tbilisi in October 2021, with more than 1,500 individuals allowed to visit him in detention since.
Dzamashvili stressed “all foreign organisations and blocs”, including the European Union, Council of Europe and the United Nations, had been informed “in detail” about the condition of the convicted former official.
Saakashvili has been receiving treatment in the Vivamedi civilian clinic since May 12. Photo: hticenters.com.
Saakashvili’s rights have been fully ensured in Georgia [since his detention] and the Ministry will continue to act in the same manner”, the official said and noted it was “completely up to the court” whether to grant Saakashvili release or postponement of the rest of his sentence.
In his reaction to the delayed hearing, Saakashvili said his hunger strike would last until he received “solid guarantees” on his engagement in the process “at least via video link”.
Claiming he was “well-aware” of the potential threat of the move to his health, he said in a letter handed to his lawyer “there should be limits to the ridicule and humiliation [directed against me]” and added he was “forced” to use the “radical form of protest”.
In contrast to claims by Saakashvili and his entourage that the former President has not received “proper treatment” while in custody and was in “urgent need” of transportation abroad, Government officials have said Saakashvili is engaged in “self-harm” and refusing to follow doctors’ instructions in a bid to “purposefully” complicate his condition and achieve the release from prison.
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.
The trial hearing on whether the imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili will be granted release or postponement of the rest of his sentence on medical grounds has been delayed from Wednesday to next week.
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.
While the Georgian public should be united to present the country "in the best possible way" for the ongoing European integration, it is “unacceptable” that the “radical wing” of the domestic opposition is “purposefully spreading disinformation" on human rights violations and torture in the country, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze said on Tuesday in comments on the ongoing controversy around the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
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.
The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia on Wednesday posted footage on social media of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili, which shows his condition in different periods at the Vivamedi civilian clinic.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Friday highlighted the European Court of Human Rights had not received a “single complaint” about conditions in the Georgian penitentiary system since 2012, when the ruling Georgian Dream party came into power.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday accused the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili of “talentless simulation” in his participation in the ongoing trial hearing at Tbilisi City Court on granting release or postponement of the rest of his sentence on medical grounds.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday criticised the “domestic and foreign friends” of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili for what he called their “efforts against justice” in the ongoing controversy over the former official’s conditions in detention.