MoJ toughens Saakashvili's communication with visitors

A solid glass wall has been installed in the meeting room of the Rustavi Prison, where Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili, the third president of Georgia, communicates with his visitors. Saakashvili said that he can no longer exchange documents with his advocates. The Georgia's Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has explained the new restrictions by the fight against coronavirus.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili is kept in Rustavi Prison, where he has been on a hunger strike since October 1 demanding his release. On October 26, 14 Georgian NGOs called on the authorities to resolve the issue of hospitalization of Mikhail Saakashvili, who categorically refused to be transferred to a prison hospital in Gldani.

On October 28, the Saakashvili's Facebook page posted an appeal, which tells about the tougher communication rules with visitors, including with his advocates held in the meeting room.

"Since this morning, my chances to contact my personal advocates have been completely blocked. A solid glass wall was set up between us in the meeting room, which means that we can no longer exchange documents. Moreover, it's very hard to hear each other. This has never happened in Georgia, and, moreover, in Europe," says the statement posted in Saakashvili's page, which was translated by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Mr Saakashvili has also stated that he would refuse medical intervention and examinations related to his hunger strike until he was allowed visiting him under the earlier conditions. "This will continue until the right to unhindered contacts with human rights defenders is restored!" says the statement.

The glass barrier in the meeting room was replaced with another, higher one, because Saakashvili and his advocates, during their meetings in prison, violated the prohibitions in force in the prison in connection with the pandemic, the Special Penitentiary Service of the Georgia's MoJ has explained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 28, 2021 at 10:19 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.