Georgian rights defenders demand to ensure respect for Saakashvili's rights

About 20 Georgian NGOs have appealed to the Committee for the Prevention of Torture of the Council of Europe (CoE) with a joint statement, in which they demand to ensure the observance of the rights of Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili, a former Georgian President.

The "Caucasian Knot" on September 30, Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili, a former Georgian president returned to his homeland and was soon arrested. On October 1, he went on a hunger strike in the Rustavi Prison. In November, the authorities admitted that Saakashvili's health had deteriorated and transferred him to the prison hospital in Tbilisi, despite the fact that the politician himself and his supporters insisted on his hospitalization to a civilian clinic.

On November 11, the Georgian Penitentiary Service released two video records showing Saakashvili's transportation to the prison hospital. In one of them the prison staff treats Saakashvili rudely; the video violates his right to privacy and insults his honour and dignity, the Georgian Ombudsperson has stated.

On November 12, about 20 Georgian NGOs appealed to the above CoE's committee with a joint statement, in which they pointed out the violation of Mikhail Saakashvili's rights. Among the signatories of the statement are the "Empathy" Centre, the "Prison Reform International", the "Transparency International Georgia", the "Georgia's Rights" and the "Georgia's Democratic Initiative".

Activists of the above NGOs have urged the Committee for the Prevention of Torture of the CoE to use its mandate to monitor Saakashvili's rights, says the statement sent to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "Recently, the operating human rights organizations are daily witnessing the inhuman and humiliating treatment of Mikhail Saakashvili, the third president of Georgia. First of all, we are observing grave violations of his rights as a prisoner and a hunger-striker, which can be regarded as inhuman and degrading treatment," says the statement as translated by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 13, 2021 at 08:51 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.