Rights defenders demand to transfer Georgian archpriest Mamaladze from prison to clinic

The NGO "Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre" (HREMC) has lodged a lawsuit to the Tbilisi City Court demanding to postpone the sentence to Giorgi Mamaladze in order to place him to hospital.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 6, the Georgian President, Salome Zurabishvili, pardoned five persons, but not Mamaladze. Rights defenders and archpriest's relatives have asked to postpone the sentence because of deterioration of his health.

"Archpriest Mamaladze has fallen victim both to law enforcement and church systems, and to political intrigue. He is under round-the-clock guard; his freedom of religion is limited. Even when he seeks medical help, it's not properly rendered to him," Tamty Mikeladze, the director of the "Centre for Equality Policy" under the NGO HREMC, stated on air of the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel.

The examination has found that while in custody, Mamaladze received a trauma, which was not timely recognized by the prison administration; as a result, it undermined his health.

Mamaladze's detention, inquiry and the trial were held with gross violations of human rights, accompanied by persecution by political figures, Mr Mikeladze has noted.