“If the Penitentiary Service wanted to do an examination, it should have conducted it itself a long time ago. In order not to delay the issue, they can now include their groups in this expert group – be it Samkharauli or other private expertise, whoever they consider necessary,” Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyer, Shalva Khachapuridze, told journalists.
As Khachapuridze noted, the delay of the case is connected with the further deterioration of Saakashvili’s health.
“Mikheil Saakashvili has been a prisoner for 10 months. During this time, since the first day, we hear that his condition is serious. In my opinion, if the Penitentiary Service wanted to do so, it should have conducted the examination itself a long time ago. As a lawyer, I respect Mr. Rati [Bregadze] very much, we are fellow citizens, but he knows the term ‘prolonging the case’ very well. Currently, this only serves to prolong, so to avoid prolonging, we offer a solution. Now they can include their experts in this expert group, be it Samkharauli or any other private expertise, whoever they consider necessary.
“Delaying the case itself is connected with further deterioration of the health of this particular person. In order to act humanely and procedurally and within the framework of the law, we now propose them to engage in the work of these groups. Whatever type of expertise pleases them, whoever they want and however they want, we are open, and our only request is that the matter should not be delayed.
“If, after our examination report, any institution appoints a forensic examination, a trick often used by the state can be used here too – when some treatment is carried out from the first examination to the second examination and the condition improves. We have seen this many times, so if everything is clean, in accordance with the rules of the game and the European Convention on Human Rights, if they have the desire to do so and do not trust the experts and the expert report that we present, they should be involved in this process,” said Khachapuridze.
Speaking about foreign experts, Khachapuridze also noted that “it is insulting to doubt experts of this quality”.
“Besides, we will have court friends in this case, one of whom was the lecturer of Mr. Rati Bregadze. There will also be a lawyer of the Strasbourg Court, who has enormous authority in the main court of Strasbourg. To doubt all this is, to say the least, is incomprehensible, although this is the right of the party, which we cannot limit, and on the contrary, we are ready for openness.
“I have not talked to Mikheil Saakashvili, although he always said that they should check him, study his condition. A few months ago, forensic-medical, forensic-psychiatric, chemical and several other examinations were appointed in the Special Investigative Service. These examinations have not been started, and if there was such an interest, this examination should have been conducted. Now all our attention should be shifted to the Ministry of Health,” Khachapuridze said.
For the record, foreign medical experts came to Georgia to visit Mikheil Saakashvili and evaluate his health condition, in order to prepare a medical report in this regard.
The foreign medical experts planned a meeting with the representatives of the Empathy Center and the members of Saakashvili’s family.
