According to EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell, the EU is worried about the dangers linked with former President Mikheil Saakashvili's illness, as well as the possibility of his health deteriorating suddenly and irreversibly.
Harzell stated that the council of physicians' recommendations had not yet been completely followed, and he urged the Georgian authorities to do so.
In all instances involving Saakashvili, the EU Ambassador urged Georgian authorities to provide a transparent and fair trial in an independent and impartial court.
“We welcome the thorough review carried out by the Office of the State Inspection on the Rights of Prisoners. We constantly monitor the recommendations and assessments of these agencies, as well as the positions expressed by the Georgian authorities and Mr. Saakashvili’s lawyers,” Carl Harzell said.
The ambassador also stressed that Saakashvili is being held in Gldani prison under conditions of degrading treatment, faces threats, and claims that he was transferred there by fraudulent means and forcibly:
“We also note that the authorities have released videos of Saakashvili’s imprisonment and provided personal information about his health. Therefore, we call on the Georgian authorities to ensure full compliance with Georgian legislation and international obligations, including the obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.”
Carl Harzell also commented on Saakashvili's inability to attend or defend himself in the November 10 trial. According to the ambassador, everyone accused with a criminal offense has the right to a fair trial in person or through legal counsel of their choice under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The EU, according to the ambassador, greatly supports the Public Defender's work.
Georgia's Public Defender Nino Lomjaria toured the Gldani jail's medical unit on the outskirts of Tbilisi, where Saakashvili was taken from the Rustavi prison multiple times.
Mikheil Saakashvili was transported to the Gldani jail forcefully on November 8. For the past 40 days, the ex-president has been on a hunger strike, seeking his release from prison, where he was detained after returning to Georgia from Ukraine on October 1.
Parallel to these developments, the opposition began large-scale, indefinite rallies on November 8 demanding Mikheil Saakashvili's release and the declaration of early elections.
