Ukrainian Human Rights Defender urges Georgian Justice Ministry to take Saakashvili to a civil clinic

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Lyudmyla Denisova, who met with Georgian former president Mikheil Saakashvili in Rustavi Prison No.12 earlier today, has urged the Georgian Justice Ministry to take the ex-president to a civil clinic – Viva Med. 

She says that Georgian inmates are taken to the clinic, per an official agreement, if needed. 

Denisova also says that allegedly the Georgian Dream government has violated human rights of Saakashvili, both towards his health and imprisonment procedures, and she has plans to address the international community on the issue after she returns back to Ukraine. 

Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, ahead of Georgia’s municipal elections, is a citizen of Ukraine and currently chairs the Ukrainian National Reforms Council. 

He returned to Georgia after eight years in political exile to change the Georgian Dream government. 

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

He has also been charged with four other offences, including the illegal crossing of the border from Ukraine to Georgia. 

The Ukrainian government says they will use all measures to return Saakashvili back to Ukraine.