Ex-president Saakashvili's condition worsens in prison - Georgian Ombusman's medical council
Saakashvili’s health worsens again
The council of doctors, created by the Ombudsman of Georgia Nino Lomjaria, has prepared a report on the state of health of former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who is imprisoned in the city of Rustavi.
According to a member of the council, neurologist Tengiz Tsuladze, Saakashvili is suffering from protein malnutrition. According to the doctor, Saakashvili consumes about 1/4 of the calories normally consumed per day, and his body is “digesting itself”.
“From what we have seen, he looks weaker. We looked at his medical history, and saw some deviations, indicating that the patient is currently in a negative catabolic state, which means that the body is digesting itself. Those proteins that do not enter it from the outside, it compensates for by the breakdown of muscles, so muscle mass at this time decreases sharply. That is why the situation has worsened”, Tsuladze said.
According to the council, this may be associated with persistent post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, which eventually leads to anorexia or loss of appetite. According to Tsuladze, Saakashvili receives basic treatment in prison, but “it is not enough for rehabilitation”.
“No agreements can be reached between the patient and the medical staff of the colony. He consciously or unconsciously refuses protein food, which causes protein malnutrition. This is our conclusion”, Tsuladze said.
On April 20, the former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, became sick during a court hearing and had to seek medical help. The trial on the case of illegal border crossing by the ex-president was temporarily suspended.
After a half-hour pause, Saakashvili returned to the hall and spoke about his health. According to Saakashvili, he was constantly feeling weak, suffered from and insomnia, and on Sunday, April 17, he completely lost control of his legs.
Mikheil Saakashvili’s mother Giuli Alasania demands that he be immediately sent abroad and placed in a suitable clinic. Also, according to MP Eka Kherkheulidze, Mikhail Saakashvili was practically prohibited to receive food and was told that he would not be able to receive parcels.
The statement was also made by the penitentiary service. According to the department, Mikheil Saakashvili did not receive parcels for only a day. The statement says that the former president, with his consent, will be able to receive packages through the persons responsible for sending them.
“In order to inform the public, we explain that Saakashvili can buy any food products not prohibited by the charter of the institution in a store on the territory of the institution at the expense of the amount credited to his card, and is also provided with three meals a day”, the service said.
The former President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, wanted by the authorities, secretly returned to Georgia on October 1, 2021. Soon he was arrested and transferred to a prison in the city of Rustavi.
The ex-president went on a hunger strike for 50 days in protest. First, he was forcibly placed in the Gldani prison hospital, then, after a deterioration in his condition and numerous protests from his supporters, on November 19 he was transferred to a military hospital in the city of Gori.
On November 10, the European Court of Human Rights issued a decision and called on Mikheil Saakashvili to end the hunger strike and instructed the state to ensure the prisoner’s safety and adequate treatment.
