"If I am not allowed to arrange a meeting, I will apply to Strasbourg"

Mikheil Saakashvili's Ukrainian lawyer speaks about the deportation at a special briefing after returning to Ukraine. According to Evgen Grushovets, he did not receive an explanation about the reasons for the deportation from the Georgian side, and it is still unknown to him why the Georgian side decided that his personal documents did not comply with Georgian law.

Evgen Grushovets says that he will come to Georgia again to meet with Mikheil Saakashvili, and if he is refused entry, he will apply to the European Court of Human Rights.

After Mikheil Saakashvili was arrested, our visit to Georgia was decided. Before arriving in Georgia, we addressed an official letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia, in which we talked about our stay in Georgia and participation in the case. In addition, we wrote a letter to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and the Lawyers Association to be able to see Mikheil Saakashvili and perform my duties on the territory of Georgia.

At the Tbilisi airport, during the passport control, the border guard called a person unknown to me and handed over my passport to him. I asked what was going on, to which they replied that there was uncertainty about my PCR test, which is not true. The border guards asked me the reasons for my visit to Georgia, to which I told the truth.

I mentioned the place of residence, the purpose of arrival and all the other details. When they asked who my client was, I told him that I was Mikheil Saakashvili's lawyer, after which one of the guards went somewhere for an unknown reason. After that, a completely different person came back and told me that I had to leave the territory of Georgia.

I tried to explain, but to no avail. The passport was also confiscated. I asked to be allowed to meet and interview people who had decided to force me back, to which I was categorically refused. It is still unknown to me why or on what basis this decision was made.

As Mikheil Saakaashvili's lawyer, I have every right to help my client and meet with him, especially when my client requests it. If I am not allowed to do that, I will file a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights," Grushovets said.