European Parliament calls on Georgian authorities to release Saakashvili

The European Parliament is concerned about the deteriorating health of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and called for him to be sent abroad for treatment.

This is stated in the European Parliament's resolution .

The deputies reminded the Georgian authorities that they are obliged to ensure the health and well-being of the politician, provide him with proper treatment and respect his rights and personal dignity in accordance with the country's constitution and international obligations.

"Noting reports of his drastic weight loss and suggestions that he may have suffered from heavy metal poisoning in detention, MEPs call on the Georgian authorities to release Mr. Saakashvili and allow him to receive proper treatment abroad," the statement reads.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine protested the inhumane treatment of the former head of the Odesa regional administration Mikheil Saakashvili, who is being held in prison in Georgia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the Georgian authorities are using psychological and physical violence against the former head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, denying him urgently needed medical care, "deliberately creating a direct threat to his life."

The ministry insists that there is a gross violation of human rights against a Ukrainian citizen in relation to Mikheil Saakashvili. This is contrary to Tbilisi's declared course towards EU membership and indicates the curtailment of democracy in Georgia.

Therefore, the Ministry called on the Georgian authorities to immediately stop mocking Mikheil Saakashvili and hand him over to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also appealed to foreign governments and international organizations to publicly defend the Ukrainian citizen and former president of Georgia.

Earlier, Mikheil Saakashvili demonstrated the terrible physical condition he was in at the court hearing via video link, the connection was cut off.

Photo: facebook.com/daryna.chyzh

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the Georgian authorities are slowly killing a Ukrainian citizen.

A trial is underway in Georgia over the possible postponement of Saakashvili's prison sentence. He has been transferred to intensive care due to his deteriorating health.

Earlier, Ukraine officially recognized Mikheil Saakashvili as a victim in the case of ill-treatment in Georgian custody. On January 14, 2022, proceedings were initiated on the fact of committing a crime against Saakashvili under Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely abuse of power by Georgian law enforcement officials.

The former head of the Odesa regional administration was detained by Georgian law enforcement in early October.

According to the investigation, on September 28, he committed an illegal border crossing when he secretly arrived in the Georgian port of Poti from Ukraine on a ship carrying a truck with dairy products.

The article for illegal border crossing provides for up to five years in prison.

Earlier, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine disciplined several officials following an internal inspection over Saakashvili's illegal border crossing.

Saakashvili was detained in Georgia on October 1, 2021, when he returned home after an eight-year absence. He was charged with illegal border crossing, which, according to investigators, he committed on September 28, when he secretly arrived at the Poti port from Ukraine on a ship carrying a truck with dairy products.
Ukraine officially recognized Saakashvili as a victim in the case of ill-treatment in detention.

On February 1, 2023, during a press conference with Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen in Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed photos of Saakashvili and expressed his belief that the Georgian authorities were publicly torturing and killing him.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appealed to Georgia, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the parliaments of the EU member states to immediately transfer the third president of Georgia, a citizen of Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili, for treatment abroad.

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