According to the ECHR’s ruling, Saakashvili was refused transfer to Warsaw, and the state was not instructed to transfer him to another treatment facility within the country.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyers’ plea, the Georgian Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze, announced at a briefing.
“The Strasbourg court published its decision, in which the convicted Mikheil Saakashvili was denied transfer to Warsaw, and the state was not instructed to transfer him to another treatment facility within the country,” the Minister said.
He noted that, as a European state, Georgia stands unwaveringly in defense of human dignity and all rights derived from it.
“Unfortunately, there is a group of people who cannot adapt to Georgia’s success, and purposefully cast a shadow on our country’s European future. From the first day of convict Saakashvili’s arrival, a deliberate slanderous campaign funded by unknown sources began, intending to portray Georgia as a state where someone was being tortured.
“To achieve this purpose, this group took it so far as to push the convict to go on four episodes of hunger strike, disobey the doctor’s instructions, refuse treatment, and therefore worsen his health, which is nothing more than self-harm.
“Within his campaign to obtain freedom, based on the artificial deterioration of his health, legal disputes in Georgia’s Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal resulted in an unfavorable outcome for Saakashvili’s defense.
“Subsequently, lawyers appealed to the Strasbourg court, requesting that he be sent to Warsaw for treatment as a temporary measure.
“However, the Strasbourg court’s decision ruled that Mikheil Saakashvili was denied transfer to Warsaw, and, also, the state was not instructed to transfer him to another treatment facility.
“As we have frequently contested, this decision shows that the state’s actions since his imprisonment have been correct and appropriate to the highest human rights standards.
“Once again, I would like to thank all of our worthy employees who work hard to safeguard human rights, with special appreciation going to the medical staff who, despite many insults and slander, have faithfully performed and continue to do their duty and protect human health,” Bregadze stated.
On April 11, Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s lawyers filed a lawsuit in the ECHR. The lawyers requested Mikheil Saakashvili’s sentence be postponed and that he be transferred abroad for treatment.
“This decision put an end to the year-and-a-half campaign regarding the fact that Mikheil Saakashvili was dying in prison. It was a campaign built on absolute lies, on falsehood, which is over now after the Strasbourg decision. This decision was absolutely predictable, based on the fact that the government acts in accordance with the standards, these are the standards of human rights and human approach, which have been introduced in our country since 2012,” Chairman of the Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze thus evaluated the ECHR’s decision regarding the ex-president.
According to the mother of the third president of Georgia, Giuli Alasania, Mikheil Saakashvili was not sure that the Strasbourg court would make a positive decision on the application of the temporary measure.
“I didn’t like this decision, I was expecting a different decision, taking everything into account, first of all, because of his condition. Statements by Volodymyr Zelensky, Maia Sandu and MEPs indicated that he should be transferred abroad for treatment. At this stage, nothing was taken into account. Strasbourg is just one stage. Let’s see how things will develop now.
“He has never been sure that the Strasbourg court would make a positive decision. I was more optimistic,” she said, adding that Saakashvili’s condition continues to be serious.
