Medics Say Georgia Hunger-striking Ex-leader Saakashvili 'critical'
Faizan Hashmi Published November 18, 2021 | 09:10 AM
Tbilisi, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Nov, 2021 ) :Georgia's jailed opposition leader and ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on hunger strike for weeks, is in a critical condition and lacks proper medical care, doctors said Wednesday.
Saakashvili, who was president between 2004 and 2013, has been refusing food for 48 days to protest his imprisonment on October 1, shortly after his return from exile in Ukraine.
Georgia's government has refused to move him from prison hospital to a civilian clinic, against the advice of doctors who have warned of the risk to Saakashvili's life.
On Wednesday, a council of medics set up by ombudsperson Nino Lomjaria said after having examined Saakashvili that his "current status is assessed as critical" and that he faced a risk of fatal complications in the "immediate future".
The prison hospital where Saakashvili is being treated fails to meet his medical needs, they added, calling for his immediate transfer to intensive care in a civilian clinic better equipped to care for him.
Last week, Saakashvili was moved to a prison hospital where, Amnesty International said, he had been "denied dignity" as well as adequate care.
The rights group on Twitter described it as "selective justice" and "apparent political revenge." The 53-year-old pro-Western reformer has said he was assaulted by guards in prison and that he fears for his life.
The US State Department has urged the Georgian government to "treat Mr Saakashvili fairly and with dignity".
Several opposition lawmakers have also been on hunger strike for days, demanding proper medical care for Saakashvili, a call reiterated by the United States and the European Court of Human Rights.
Georgia must take steps "to inform the Court about the applicant's current state of health, to ensure his safety in prison, and to provide him with appropriate medical care for the post-hunger-strike recovery period," the ECHR said last week. It also urged Saakashvili to "call off his hunger strike." On Tuesday, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze ruled out Saakashvili's transfer to a civilian clinic, insisting "there had been no single instance of Saakashvili not receiving a medical service he required".
Saakashvili said last week he had taken a decision to end the hunger strike if he was transferred to a civilian "high-tech clinic for post-hunger strike rehabilitation".
Saakashvili's arrest exacerbated a political crisis stemming from parliamentary polls last year that the opposition denounced as fraudulent.
It has also spurred some of the largest anti-government protests in a decade.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili sparked an uproar recently saying Saakashvili "has the right to commit suicide" and that the government had been forced to arrest him because he had refused to quit politics.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
IHC adjourns PTI founder, Qureshi's appeal till Thursday
CDWP recommends 3 projects to ECNEC for approval
Tarar assures APNS to resolve issues of newspaper industry
Pakistan urged to capitalize on economic stability, for Tobacco Tax Reforms
N. Macedonia polls set to upend ties with EU neighbours
Croatia's ruling party reaches coalition deal with right wing
Bayern coach Tuchel makes three changes for Madrid showdown
Olympic flame arrives on French soil for Paris Games
Punjab Finance Minister announces expansion of Social Protection Authority's man ..
Kenya inks deal to end doctors' strike
Brazil flooding death toll reaches 100
Lebanon security source says five killed in Israeli strikes on south
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Concerted efforts urged to ease traffic flow on city roads
4 days ago -
Land degradation: A threat to food security
4 days ago -
Revamping health sector, a gigantic task ahead
4 days ago -
American band promotes intercultural harmony thru music fusions
5 days ago -
Waste Management – A persistent challenge for MWMC
6 days ago -
Experts for ending child labour
8 days ago
-
Labour Day - A reminder for better facilities to workers
8 days ago -
Stage Drama Mohabati Manhoon presents in Arts council Larkana
10 days ago -
Wheat farmers in a fix on price, procurement mechanism
11 days ago -
Modern tools to help transform crime investigation procedures
11 days ago -
Sanam Marvi captivates audience with mesmerizing performance
11 days ago -
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
13 days ago