Ex-president Saakashvili Transferred to Rustavi Prison
By Khatia Bzhalava
Friday, December 31
The Special Penitentiary Service has reported that ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili was transferred from the Gori Military Hospital back to the N12 Rustavi Prison on Wednesday night, stressing that the process was ‘carried out in full compliance with the legislation.’
According to the penitentiary service, doctors decided to discharge Saakashvili from the hospital on December 27, but he did not obey the request of the staff regarding his transfer to Rustavi #12 facility. The agency noted that following a nervous breakdown, Saakashvili was observed with blood pressure fluctuation and, therefore, his transportation was postponed.
Opposition MP Salome Samadashvili said that moving the ex-president back to the prison should have happened based on the conclusion of independent medical experts. She noted that the ex-president’s health aggravation would lead to heavy political consequences.
“I urge the government to allow independent experts to meet Saakashvili immediately to assess his health state,” the MP said.
Member of the United National Movement (UNM) party Eka Kherkheulidze said that the ex-president was transferred to Rustavi prison against his will. She claimed that Saakashvili’s health situation is critical, adding that the penitentiary service falsified the ex-president’s medical record to move him to Rustavi prison.
Georgian Dream party MP Gia Volski says the law has not been violated by the transfer of Saakashvili to Rustavi No. 12 prison, as he had recovered and could not remain in hospital after the treatment.
Following his visit to the prison, Saakashvili’s lawyer Nika Gvaramia said that no physical violence was used during the transfer against the ex-president, however, Gvaramia claims that he was feeling weak and was in a wheelchair.
“The ex-president had high blood pressure. He was under the effect of sedative pills and, as he told me, had no power to resist,” Gvaramia said.
Opposition United National Movement party Head Nika Melia assessed Saakashvili’s transfer to Rustavi prison as 'abduction'. According to him, this decision was made in Russia, adding that ‘Russian special services are involved in this process.’
The ex-president was undergoing treatment in Gori military hospital following a hunger strike starting the day of his arrest on October 1, ahead of the October 2 municipal elections. In 2018, the Georgian Court convicted Saakashvili in absentia on two counts of abuse of power and sentenced him to six years in prison. He is also facing five additional charges, including illegal seizure of property, embezzlement, illegal rally dispersal, and illegal border crossing.
