State Inspector Urges Gov’t to Protect Saakashvili’s Life, Dignity

The State Inspector’s Service, a body monitoring personal data protection and probing abuse of power, has called on authorities to take all “necessary measures to protect the health, life, honor, dignity and safety” of jailed Mikheil Saakashvili.

The statement comes after Saakashvili, on a hunger strike since his arrest on October 1, temporarily lost consciousness and collapsed at the Gldani prison hospital on the evening of November 18.

The Inspector’s Service said it is essential to protect Saakashvili and his rights in parallel to the agency’s probe into possible inhuman treatment of the ex-President during his forced transfer to the penitentiary clinic.

The agency stated it has addressed the Justice Ministry on November 11, appealing to place Saakashvili “in conditions that would ensure the protection of his health, honor, dignity and safety.”

But the State Inspector’s Service expressed regrets that it is not empowered by legislation to obligate the Special Penitentiary Service transferring an inmate from one penitentiary establishment to another institution, including a hospital.

The Inspector expressed hopes that “effective steps will be taken to improve the legislation in this direction,” by establishing a system for protecting witnesses of alleged crimes committed by officials.

A group of physicians assembled by the Public Defender to monitor Saakashvili’s treatment at the penitentiary clinic concluded on November 17 that the ex-President’s condition was critical, necessitating urgent transfer to a multi-profile hospital. Saakashvili has been on hunger strike since his arrest on October 1.

Also Read:

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)