Parliament official: state agencies ensuring Saakashvili’s safety in detention
In his remarks over the latest developments around the former official, Okhanashvili alleged a “group of interests, a person or persons” were "lobbying" Saakashvili not to serve his sentence "despite the seriousness" of his crimes. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
Anri Okhanashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, on Monday said "relevant state agencies" were ensuring the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili was "safe, provided with all necessary services, and served his sentence in an environment prescribed by the Georgian legislation".
In his remarks over the latest developments around the former official, Okhanashvili alleged a “group of interests, a person or persons” were "lobbying" Saakashvili not to serve his sentence "despite the seriousness" of his crimes.
Relevant state agencies [...] have to take all appropriate measures so that inmate Saakashvili is safe, provided with all appropriate services he needs for his health, and serves his sentence in an environment and circumstances prescribed by our legislation”, the Parliament official said.
Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021, after his clandestine return to Georgia, and is serving a six-year term for two separate abuse of power cases, with three other cases involving his term pending. He has been receiving treatment at Vivamedi clinic in Tbilisi since May 12.
His lawyers and family members have claimed the former president is in “urgent need” of treatment abroad and alleged local professionals had been “unable” to make “accurate diagnosis and ensure relevant treatment” for months.
The imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili is “blackmailing his patrons to escape justice”, and the latter may order his assassination in custody to “kill two birds with one stone”, a statement by Popular Force, a movement founded by former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Monday.
The special penitentiary service on Sunday said it had not been provided with any official report, confirming the authenticity of information disseminated by the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyer about the possible poisoning of the prisoner.
Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and the secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the question of allowing a transfer of the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili abroad due to his health condition was “not up to the ruling party”.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Thursday said the Government had done “everything” to protect the right to health of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday called the United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan’s statement on former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s clandestine return to Georgia - “unfortunate”. The rule of law is a “supreme principle” and it should be effective in the USA as well as in Georgia, he said.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Thursday said the health reports of the Georgian-based rehabilitation centre Empathy on imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s condition were not “reliable and infallible”, based on the conclusions of the Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili had "confirmed he is an ordinary agent" of a foreign state.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Wednesday called “comical” the proposal of Levan Khabeishvili, the newly elected Chair of the opposition United National Movement party, that made offers to authorities in exchange for releasing the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The Georgian Government has been creating the “maximum support and comfort” for the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, providing him with “all privileges” that no other prisoners have, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili responded to a question on Saturday at the panel discussion, held within scope of the Munich Security Conference.