Justice minister: Saakashvili has received more than 200 visitors, more doctors invited for him

Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze says that the country’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili has received more than 200 visitors in prison since his arrest in Tbilisi on October 1. 

Bregadze also said earlier today that through cooperation with the Ministry of Health, an additional group of doctors will monitor Saakashvili’s health while on hunger strike, round the clock, and will inform the public on a daily basis ‘to prevent the spread of disinformation.’ 

He stated that all medical services have been ensured for Saakashvili both in Rustavi prison and then in Gldani Prison No.18 hospital, ‘which has all equipment to provide a proper medical care while Saakashvili while on hunger strike and in the post-hunger strike rehabilitation.’ 

Bregadze stated that all individuals who are eligible to see Saakashvili in prison, have used the right, while those who have no right for this, in line with the Georgian law, will be banned from entering the prison, ‘especially Gldani prison which is also a hospital.’ 

Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia in absentia in 2018 for abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

He has also been charged with five other offenses.

He says he returned to Georgia after eight years in political exile to remove the Georgian Dream from power. 

Saakashvili has been on hunger strike for 47 days, saying that he is a political prisoner. 

Currently he is a citizen of Ukraine, chairing the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.