Georgia’s Special Penitentiary Service has issued a statement regarding prisoner Nodar Tatunashvili, who was transferred to the Vivamedi clinic following a prolonged hunger strike.
Agency says Tatunashvili began refusing food on April 1, 2026, consuming only liquids. The Service stated that, under Georgian law, a conscious patient has the right to decide whether to accept food and medical treatment.
The statement says Tatunashvili repeatedly refused laboratory and instrumental examinations, monitoring of vital signs, and several offers of medical treatment. Officials noted that he initially declined transfer both to Penitentiary Medical Institution No. 18 and later to a civilian-sector clinic.
Penitentiary Service says Tatunashvili eventually agreed to hospitalization and was transferred from Penitentiary Institution No. 3 to the Vivamedi Clinic on May 14 for inpatient supervision and treatment related to the consequences of his hunger strike.
The agency stated that Tatunashvili was physically weakened but able to move independently at the time of the transfer. It further claimed that, despite repeated offers, he continued to refuse food and full medical treatment, making it impossible to provide adequate care based on his condition.
“The Special Penitentiary Service expresses hope that the life and health of convict Nodar Tatunashvili will not be harmed. He remains under the constant supervision of highly qualified medical personnel,” the statement reads.
The response comes after Tatunashvili’s relatives alleged that he fell into a coma approximately one week after being admitted to Vivamedi and has remained unconscious since. Family members claim he did not receive proper treatment at the clinic and say they have not been provided with information about his current health condition.
The Penitentiary Service has not commented on the family’s allegations regarding the reported coma or access to medical information.
Related story: Hunger-striking prisoner falls into coma, family accuses clinic of negligence
