Georgian Public Defender visits convicts, ex-President Saakashvili at Tbilisi clinic

Levan Ioseliani, the Public Defender of Georgia, on Monday said he had visited convicts and individuals charged with crimes, including the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, at Tbilisi clinic offering them treatment.

Ioseliani said he could not publicly comment on Saakashvili's health condition but noted he looked “much better” compared to his physical condition during the previous visit.

There was no discussion regarding his return to the penitentiary facility - it is not my mandate, nor the clinic's. I have received information regarding his health, but I cannot talk about it publicly”, the Public Defender noted.

We had a short conversation - he thanked the Office for regularly monitoring his condition throughout the year and providing information about it to the public”, he added while also saying neither the physicians nor him had received “any specific requests” from the former official.

Saakashvili, who has Ukrainian citizenship and held a public post in the country, was arrested on return to Georgia in October 2021 and is serving a six-year term for abuse of power in a case he had been convicted on, with three other cases against him pending, has been receiving treatment at the Tbilisi-based Vivamedi clinic since May 2022.

Despite his claims of alleged ill-treatment while in custody and an “urgent need” of foreign treatment, the European Court of Human Rights in May last year rejected his motion to transfer abroad on health grounds. The Court also rejected his transfer to another clinic inside the country.