Mikheil Saakashvili demands EU medical mission visit
Saakashvili demands EU medical commission
Imprisoned ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili is demanding the arrival of a European Union medical mission. According to him, the authorities have been obstructing this request for the past four months.
Saakashvili published a post on Twitter:
“My health condition remains as problematic as ever. It is imperative that the EU medical mission, comprising Polish doctors, visits me without delay.
I am facing difficulties in walking, having lost over 50% of my weight, with the weight loss persisting. Additionally, my neurological condition is deteriorating, and my eyesight has significantly worsened. I have also experienced substantial hair loss. However, these challenges do not hinder me from expressing my position, as it is the Georgian government that seeks to silence me. I can only hope for recovery if I am transferred to a suitable facility in Europe”
Saakashvili also addresses the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili:
“If, as you claim, I am in good health, then why are parliament members not allowed to visit me? Why has my online access to the court hearings been blocked? The distinction between you and me lies in the fact that, no matter how challenging it may be, I will continue to express my stance until my very last breath. You cannot prevent me from thinking!”
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● On June 16, Mikheil Saakashvili announced that he intended to be “very” actively involved in Georgian politics.
● Mikheil Saakashvili has been in prison since autumn 2021. He was arrested after illegally crossing the Georgian border and returning to Georgia.
● In prison, Saakashvili’s health deteriorated. Since May 2022, the politician has been in the Vivamedi clinic in Tbilisi. More than 20 independent doctors say that Saakashvili is in serious condition.
● The ex-president’s family members and lawyers demanded a stay of his sentence or release from punishment for health reasons and filed this petition with the court. However, after several court hearings, this request was finally denied.
● On May 12, 2023, the Strasbourg court also refused to transfer Mikheil Saakashvili to Poland for treatment. According to the explanation of Saakashvili’s lawyer Shota Tutberidze, the Strasbourg court did not make a final decision on Saakashvili’s case, and it is only a temporary measure.
● According to the Minister of Justice of Georgia, the decision of the Strasbourg Court testifies that “all the actions of the state towards Mikheil Saakashvili were correct and met the highest human rights standards”.
