Justice Minister calls on everyone to stop “politicising” execution of justice around ex-Pres. Saakashvili

Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Wednesday called on everyone to stop “politicising” the execution of justice and “supporting” the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s “self-harm”.

The “false information”, “deliberately” spread by Saakashvili’s lawyers and his political team [the United National Movement] on Tuesday, alleging that the former President was transferred to the intensive care unit, has been “manipulation” with the latter’s health to achieve “political goals” and by this, form “wrong” public perception about his health, Bregadze said.

There is no “objective reason” to transfer Saakashvili to the ICU, the Minister said, citing Clinical Director of the Vivamedi clinic Zurab Chkhaidze, who stated that Saakashvili’s physiological parameters remained “within the norm”, while his body mass index did not correspond to requirements for ICU treatment. 

• Doctor rejects claims ex-Pres. Saakashvili in need of intensive care treatment

He stressed the Special Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of Justice, and the medical staff of the Vivamedi clinic [where Saakashvili has been receiving treatment since May 12] could not be held responsible for the patient's “self-harm” as the former President was not following the relevant medical protocol.

Bregadze noted the Ministry would not be “loyal” towards political campaigns aimed at damaging the country’s image and “ensuring” Saakashvili’s release from prison on medical grounds by supporting his “self-harming” in a bid to “escape justice”. The above-mentioned “dangerous precedent” can have an “encouraging” effect on other prisoners, which may become a “serious challenge” for the state.