German Lab conclusion says Georgian ex-Minister Merabishvili wasn’t Poisoned
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, October 16
The Georgian Penitentiary Department says that the results of the laboratory examination received from Germany read that intoxication of Georgian former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili with heavy metals has been ruled out.
The medical check has been made amid the statements of Merabishvili’s lawyers and the opposition that former minister’s health condition is “very complicated” and that he could have been poisoned in prison.
"Due to the high public interest, the special penitentiary department is spreading information about the blood laboratory examination of convict Ivane Merabishvili. The convict has undergone various types of medical examinations in several clinics of Tbilisi for the last three months. The relevant information has been provided to the public.
“In addition, as it is known, on October 2-4, the convict was transferred to Mediclab Georgia clinic, where he was consulted and examined by various specialists. Furthermore, since the defense had been constantly alleging that Merabishvili's diagnosis - Horner's syndrome might be a result of intoxication, Merabishvili was consulted by a toxicologist as well”, reads the statement.
The department claims that the convict’s blood analysis was sent to Germany and based on the results received from Germany, doctors ruled out detoxification of Merabishvili with heavy metals.
The department stated earlier that Merabishvili suffers from vasomotor rhinitis, Horner's syndrome and blepharoconjunctivitis.
Vasomotor rhinitis is inflammation of the membranes inside the nose; Horner's syndrome is a combination of symptoms that arises when a group of nerves called the sympathetic trunk is affected, while blepharoconjunctivitis refers to the irritation and inflammation of eyelids and conjunctiva.
Ten opposition parties, which believe that Merabishvili is a political prisoner, have asked current President Giorgi Margvelashvili to pardon him.
They also demanded Merabishvili’s urgent hospitalization.
Merabishvili was detained in 2013 for alleged misspending of budget funds and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2014 for abuse of power, misspending of budget funds and bribing voters.
It happened shortly after the Georgian Dream leadership defeated the nine-year-rule of the United National Movement in 2012.
In September 2016 Merabishvili was further sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for charges related to the beating of opposition lawmaker Valeri Gelashvili in 2005.
