Georgia: Ukrainian Ombudsman raises concerns about Saakashvili's well-being after prison visit

У вашего броузера проблема в совместимости с HTML5

Follow us on Telegram:
https://t.me/s/ruptlynews

Ukrainian ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova visited former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in Rustavi prison on Wednesday.

According to Denisova, by the 27th day of the hunger strike, the politician had already endured four crises: “two hypertensive” and “two blood crises”.

“His life is in question as of today. He considers himself a prisoner of Putin and says that he does not want to do bad to Ukraine and to allow bloodshed in Georgia more than anything else. So he will do everything possible to prevent it,” she said.

Denisova said that Saakashvili was “against force-feeding”. In addition, she said that the ex-president does not intend to move to the prison hospital of Colony No 18, where Georgian authorities intend to send him because of his deteriorating condition, as she believes that “it is not safe for his life there”.

“I will apply to take into account that there is a special agreement with the special penitentiary service of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia with a medical centre like “Vivamedi” so that Saakashvili is moved, if necessary, to this particular private centre to provide him with such assistance when the need arises,” Denisova said.

Also during the press conference, Denisova said she intends to discuss the conditions of Saakashvili’s detention with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Georgian Ombudsman Nino Lomjaria.

“We will bring all this to the ambassadors of the European powers when we come to Ukraine. I will write my conclusion to the European Parliament [based on what] I saw here. Now I will have a meeting with the Ombudsman of Georgia and we will form a common position with her regarding this case. Certainly, in Ukraine I will request a meeting with the President of Ukraine in order to convey to him the information that I received, including privately, from Mikhail,” the politician said.

The Ukrainian ombudsman flew to Georgia on October 26. According to Denisova, law enforcement agencies of the country interrogated her for 40 minutes about the purpose of her arrival and only released her after “some of my calls and threats.”

Mikheil Saakashvili was detained on October 1. The ex-president had previously been placed on a domestic wanted list for the murder of banker Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of MP Valeri Gelashvili, on which he was sentenced in absentia to three and six years’ imprisonment respectively.

While in jail Saakashvili went on hunger strike, describing himself as a political prisoner. Supporters of the ex-president have organised a collection of signatures on a petition addressed to the Georgian president and government demanding the former leader’s release.

#Saakashvili #Ukraine #Georgia

Video ID: 20211027-038

Video on Demand: https://ruptly.tv/videos/20211027-038
Contact: [email protected]

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ruptly
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ruptly